--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Microsoft looks at new ideas, they don't…" description: "\"Microsoft looks at new ideas, they don't evaluate whether the idea will move the industry forward, they ask, 'how will it help us sell more copies of W..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f3/bill-gates-137_asks_microsoft-looks-at-new-ideas-they-don-t_2507302.jpg" --- # Microsoft looks at new ideas, they don't evaluate whether… ![“Microsoft looks at new ideas, they don't evaluate whether the idea will move the industry forward, they ask, 'how will it help us sell more copies of Windows?” quote by Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f3/bill-gates-137_asks_microsoft-looks-at-new-ideas-they-don-t_2507302.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f3/bill-gates-137_asks_microsoft-looks-at-new-ideas-they-don-t_2507302.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f3/bill-gates-137_asks_microsoft-looks-at-new-ideas-they-don-t_2507302.jpg) > “Microsoft looks at new ideas, they don't evaluate whether the idea will move the industry forward, they ask, 'how will it help us sell more copies of Windows?” [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Innovation is judged by profit potential rather than transformative impact. **In simple terms:** Ideas are valued by sales, not vision. Key Takeaway Prioritize impact over profit. Themes innovation profit industry Mood analytical concerned Type business critical When to use this quote - startup pitches - product development - investment decisions Key Concepts business strategy technology adoption Questions to Reflect On - How can companies balance profit with visionary goals? - What incentives foster true innovation? A Different Perspective May stifle groundbreaking but non‑profitable ideas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/) [Copies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/copies/) [Evaluate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evaluate/) [Evaluate Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evaluate-idea-1122605/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Idea Industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea-industry-1122603/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industry/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Microsoft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/microsoft/) [Microsoft Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/microsoft-looks-1122604/) [Moving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving/) [New ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-ideas/) [Sells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sells/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Window](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/window/) ## Related quotes > [Throughout history, humankind has been resistant to change and to the acceptance of new ideas... When Galileo discovered the moons of Jupiter, the astronomers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-weiss/throughout-history-humankind-has-been-resistant-to-change-and-to-the/) [Brian Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-weiss/) > [We had planned to integrate a Web browser with our operating system as far back as 1993( filing its first court responses to federal antitrust)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/we-had-planned-to-integrate-a-web-browser-with-our-operating-system/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [The thing about HD-DVD that is attractive to Microsoft is that it's very pro-consumer in letting you copy all movies up onto the hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-thing-about-hd-dvd-that-is-attractive-to-microsoft-is-that-it-s/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Take our 20 best people away, and I will tell you that Microsoft will become an unimportant company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/take-our-20-best-people-away-and-i-will-tell-you-that-microsoft-will/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [ Our leadership \[in Microsoft \] has that - "hey, we are the best in certain ways," and so we get the best people. That… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/our-leadership-in-microsoft-has-that-hey-we-are-the-best-in-certain/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I believe OS/2 is destined to be the most important operating system, and possibly program, of all time. As the successor to DOS, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-believe-os-2-is-destined-to-be-the-most-important-operating-system/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I failed in some subjects in exam, but my friend passed in all. Now he is an engineer in Microsoft and I am the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-failed-in-some-subjects-in-exam-but-my-friend-passed-in-all-now-he/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I'm going to retain a lot of Microsoft's stock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-m-going-to-retain-a-lot-of-microsoft-s-stock/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [The government is somewhat inept, but the private sector is inept in general. How many companies do venture capitalists invest in that go poorly?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-government-is-somewhat-inept-but-the-private-sector-is-inept-in/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Microsoft has had clear competitors in the past. 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For example, when the Internet came along, we had it as a fifth or sixth priority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/sometimes-we-do-get-taken-by-surprise-for-example-when-the-internet/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Microsoft has had many, many successful products. I'm committed to one company. This is the industry I've decided to work in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/microsoft-has-had-many-many-successful-products-i-m-committed-to-one/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Microsoft is involved in setting some fairly key standards and people are afraid of it because they think, Geez, they are quite capable. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/microsoft-is-involved-in-setting-some-fairly-key-standards-and-people/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) ## More by Bill Gates > [If you’re a person struggling to eat and stay healthy you might have heard about Michael Jordan or Muhammad Ali, but you’ll never have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/if-you-re-a-person-struggling-to-eat-and-stay-healthy-you-might-have/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I really had a lot of dreams when I was a kid, and I think a great deal of that grew out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-really-had-a-lot-of-dreams-when-i-was-a-kid-and-i-think-a-great/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Understanding science and pushing the boundaries of science is what makes me immensely satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/understanding-science-and-pushing-the-boundaries-of-science-is-what/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [We're focused on providing innovations in software, driving the continuous improvement for a much better experience, and there's a lot going on here that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/we-re-focused-on-providing-innovations-in-software-driving-the/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Paper is no longer a big part of my day. I get 90% of my news online, and when I go to a meeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/paper-is-no-longer-a-big-part-of-my-day-i-get-90-of-my-news-online/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Software will get to be somewhat more mature, ah, but it will never be as predictable as most areas of engineering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/software-will-get-to-be-somewhat-more-mature-ah-but-it-will-never-be/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Students deserve great teachers. And teachers deserve the support they need to become great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/students-deserve-great-teachers-and-teachers-deserve-the-support-they/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [The machines need to get faster. 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Too many of our students fail to graduate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/like-many-others-i-have-deep-misgivings-about-the-state-of-education/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Over time, yes, countries will need to look at specific GMO products like they look at drugs today, where they don't approve them all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/over-time-yes-countries-will-need-to-look-at-specific-gmo-products/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Competition is always a fantastic thing, and the computer industry is intensely competitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/competition-is-always-a-fantastic-thing-and-the-computer-industry-is/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I don't think there's anything unique about human intellience. 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And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. 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