Re: news from Google

[JC Dill <jcdill.lists () gmail com>]

Hank Nussbacher wrote:
> Google makes about $1.5B profit per quarter.  $20M of charity?  I 
> don't like MS any more than most, but Gates Foundation has received 
> $20B from Bill and Warren over the past 3 years.  My hat goes off to 
> those guys! 

Yes, the Gates Foundation gives a lot of money to worthy causes, which 
is truly admirable. 

However, to put things into perspective let's take a look at the history 
of these two companies.

Microsoft was founded 34 years ago (in 1975) and IPOd 23 years ago (in 
1986).  Bill Gates didn't start his foundation until 12 years after the IPO.

Google was founded (incorporated) 11 years ago in 1998, IPOd 5 years ago 
in 2005.  Google Foundation was created as part of the IPO: "a 
commitment to contribute significant resources, including 1% of Google's 
equity and profits in some form, as well as employee time, to address 
some of the world's most urgent problems. That commitment became a range 
of giving initiatives including Google.org."

How much did Microsoft give to charity in 1991, 5 years after their 
IPO?  Would you bet against a proposition that by 2028 the Google 
Foundation does just as much (or more) than the Gates foundation is 
doing today? 

jc