--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only thing that I'd rather own than…" description: "\"The only thing that I'd rather own than Windows is English, because then I could charge you two hundred and forty-nine dollars for the right to speak i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/scott-mcnealy-20917_because_the-only-thing-that-i-d-rather-own-than_3121441.jpg" --- # The only thing that I'd rather own than Windows is… ![“The only thing that I'd rather own than Windows is English, because then I could charge you two hundred and forty-nine dollars for the right to speak it.” quote by Scott McNealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/scott-mcnealy-20917_because_the-only-thing-that-i-d-rather-own-than_3121441.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/scott-mcnealy-20917_because_the-only-thing-that-i-d-rather-own-than_3121441.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/scott-mcnealy-20917_because_the-only-thing-that-i-d-rather-own-than_3121441.jpg) > “The only thing that I'd rather own than Windows is English, because then I could charge you two hundred and forty-nine dollars for the right to speak it.” [Scott McNealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcnealy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Language is a powerful tool that can be monetized like any other commodity. **In simple terms:** Language can be sold. Key Takeaway Consider the ethics of profiting from communication. Themes language economics ethics technology Mood critical thought‑provoking Type philosophical satirical When to use this quote - software licensing - language teaching - AI translation services - global business negotiations Key Concepts commodification intellectual property Questions to Reflect On - Is it fair to charge for speaking? - How does language ownership affect cultural exchange? A Different Perspective Monetizing language may limit accessibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Charge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charge/) [Charge Dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charge-dollars-2923134/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollars/) [Dollars Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollars-right-3568695/) [English](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/english/) [English Charge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/english-charge-5482249/) [Hundred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hundred/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/own/) [Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rather/) [Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Than](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/than/) [The only thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-only-thing/) [Then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/then/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Thing Windows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-windows-5301768/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Windows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/windows/) [Windows English](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/windows-english-5301766/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [The only thing I'd rather own than Windows is English. Then I'd be able to charge you an upgrade fee every time I add…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcnealy/the-only-thing-i-d-rather-own-than-windows-is-english-then-i-d-be/) [Scott McNealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcnealy/) > [The internet in hotels should be free - and I really resent it when they charge you five dollars for a bottle of water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/the-internet-in-hotels-should-be-free-and-i-really-resent-it-when/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [Interviewer: If I gave you fifty dollars, right now, what would you do with it?David Byrne: I would get something to eat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/interviewer-if-i-gave-you-fifty-dollars-right-now-what-would-you-do/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [Here's the thing: life is now. It's not ten pounds from now, it's not twenty pounds from now, it's not a million dollars from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jillian-michaels/here-s-the-thing-life-is-now-it-s-not-ten-pounds-from-now-it-s-not/) [Jillian Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jillian-michaels/) > [You are not in charge of the universe; you are in charge of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/you-are-not-in-charge-of-the-universe-you-are-in-charge-of-yourself/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [I've even said to other countries - I've said, "Listen, you're charging us a lot. We're going to charge you the same thing." They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-ve-even-said-to-other-countries-i-ve-said-listen-you-re-charging-us/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I am called here to answer before you, but I hear no things laid to my charge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hutchinson/i-am-called-here-to-answer-before-you-but-i-hear-no-things-laid-to-my/) [Anne Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hutchinson/) > [As soon as I started writing Julia, by which I mean while writing its first sentence, I felt a sudden, reassuring charge of excitement.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-straub/as-soon-as-i-started-writing-julia-by-which-i-mean-while-writing-its/) [Peter Straub](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-straub/) > [Confidence has nothing to do with what you look like. If you obsess over that, you'll end up being disappointed in yourself all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-seldes/confidence-has-nothing-to-do-with-what-you-look-like-if-you-obsess/) [Marian Seldes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-seldes/) > [If you touch something you leave a charge on it, and anybody else touching it connects with you, in a way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-anatsui/if-you-touch-something-you-leave-a-charge-on-it-and-anybody-else/) [El Anatsui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-anatsui/) > [I think that plays are probably the most personal, because it's just me in charge, but sometimes it's just really - I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-think-that-plays-are-probably-the-most-personal-because-it-s-just/) [David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/) > [“I order to be "in charge", you need someone to be in charge of.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-davis/i-order-to-be-in-charge-you-need-someone-to-be-in-charge-of/) [Jim Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-davis/) > [Umm... I don't judge my relationship with Puff or Bad Boy according to other people or past artists. At the end of the day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/french-montana/umm-i-don-t-judge-my-relationship-with-puff-or-bad-boy-according-to/) [French Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/french-montana/) > [It's time to take charge, live your own life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goofy/it-s-time-to-take-charge-live-your-own-life/) [Goofy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goofy/) > [I cannot defend myself during a trial if there is no charge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sooraj-pancholi/i-cannot-defend-myself-during-a-trial-if-there-is-no-charge/) [Sooraj Pancholi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sooraj-pancholi/) ## More by Scott McNealy > [In a world without fences, who needs Gates?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcnealy/in-a-world-without-fences-who-needs-gates/) [Scott McNealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcnealy/) > [The utility model of computing - computing resources delivered over the network in much the same way that electricity or telephone service reaches our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcnealy/the-utility-model-of-computing-computing-resources-delivered-over-the/) [Scott McNealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcnealy/) > [Yes, we have a dress code. You have to dress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcnealy/yes-we-have-a-dress-code-you-have-to-dress/) [Scott McNealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcnealy/) > [This Windows 95 hairball has become so big, so unmanageable, so hard to use, so hard to configure, so hard to keep up and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcnealy/this-windows-95-hairball-has-become-so-big-so-unmanageable-so-hard-to/) [Scott McNealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcnealy/) > [As leader, you're not allowed to go out and have beers on Friday night and break character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcnealy/as-leader-you-re-not-allowed-to-go-out-and-have-beers-on-friday-night/) [Scott McNealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcnealy/) > [You already have zero privacy - get over it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcnealy/you-already-have-zero-privacy-get-over-it/) [Scott McNealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcnealy/) > [When Steve Ballmer calls me wacko, I consider that a compliment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcnealy/when-steve-ballmer-calls-me-wacko-i-consider-that-a-compliment/) [Scott McNealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcnealy/) > [ Probably the most dangerous and powerful industrialist of our age. \[About Bill Gates\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcnealy/probably-the-most-dangerous-and-powerful-industrialist-of-our-age/) [Scott McNealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcnealy/) > [This is a big deal. It's a fairly natural partnership; it shouldn't surprise people, ... We're working on bringing this network-is-the-computer, Net services environment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcnealy/this-is-a-big-deal-it-s-a-fairly-natural-partnership-it-shouldn-t/) [Scott McNealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcnealy/) > [Do I have a problem with Larry Ellison buying Sun? No, that's part of the capitalist system. As soon as we go public we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcnealy/do-i-have-a-problem-with-larry-ellison-buying-sun-no-that-s-part-of/) [Scott McNealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcnealy/) > [Who cares who's captain after the wings have fallen off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcnealy/who-cares-who-s-captain-after-the-wings-have-fallen-off/) [Scott McNealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcnealy/) > [When computers (people) are networked, their power multiplies geometrically. Not only can people share all that information inside their machines, but they can reach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcnealy/when-computers-people-are-networked-their-power-multiplies/) [Scott McNealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcnealy/) > [Technology has the shelf life of a banana.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcnealy/technology-has-the-shelf-life-of-a-banana/) [Scott McNealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcnealy/) > [ Putting Windows \[3.11\] on top of DOS is like putting whipped cream on a road apple \[horse poop\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcnealy/putting-windows-3-11-on-top-of-dos-is-like-putting-whipped-cream-on-a/) [Scott McNealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcnealy/) > [The best decision is the right decision. The next best decision is the wrong decision. The worst decision is no decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcnealy/the-best-decision-is-the-right-decision-the-next-best-decision-is-the/) [Scott McNealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcnealy/) [Explore all 30 Scott McNealy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcnealy/) ## More Because quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [There were songs that we cut out after we chose the name, because 'Praise Break' turned out to be an underlying concept that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-caesar/there-were-songs-that-we-cut-out-after-we-chose-the-name-because/) [Daniel Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-caesar/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I was also known as Frodo because I was an early adopter of 'The Lord of the Rings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/i-was-also-known-as-frodo-because-i-was-an-early-adopter-of-the-lord/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) > [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [It's like saying French shouldn't be taught because you don't understand it because it's new. Shakespeare is just like learning a new, exciting language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-barnett/it-s-like-saying-french-shouldn-t-be-taught-because-you-don-t/) [Samuel Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-barnett/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [Sometimes, when full and in fear that I will continue to eat unwanted food just because it's staring at me, I will place my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-nichols/sometimes-when-full-and-in-fear-that-i-will-continue-to-eat-unwanted/) [Rachel Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-nichols/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' 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I accepted it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suresh-gopi/i-was-contacted-by-rajyavardhan-singh-rathore-mp-through-the-pune/) [Suresh Gopi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suresh-gopi/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) [Browse all 15,485 Because quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only thing that I'd rather own than Windows is English, because then I could charge you two hundred and forty-nine dollars for the right to speak it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Scott McNealy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcnealy/the-only-thing-that-i-d-rather-own-than-windows-is-english-because/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Because" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcnealy/the-only-thing-that-i-d-rather-own-than-windows-is-english-because/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/scott-mcnealy-20917_because_the-only-thing-that-i-d-rather-own-than_3121441.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/scott-mcnealy-20917_because_the-only-thing-that-i-d-rather-own-than_3121441.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/scott-mcnealy-20917_because_the-only-thing-that-i-d-rather-own-than_3121441.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only thing that I'd rather own than Windows is English, because then I could charge you two hundred and…” — Scott McNealy", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Scott McNealy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcnealy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The only thing that I'd rather...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcnealy/the-only-thing-that-i-d-rather-own-than-windows-is-english-because/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcnealy/the-only-thing-that-i-d-rather-own-than-windows-is-english-because/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```