Gates unveils virtual Da Vinci notebook
LONDON, England (AP) – Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates showed off a virtual version of his own collection of Leonardo Da Vinci’s scientific musings on Tuesday at the British Library as he unveiled the company’s eagerly anticipated Windows Vista operating system.
Although Gates spent most of his time touting Vista’s potential to spawn the next generation of business and entertainment software, the presentation’s centerpiece – a virtual notebook filled with fluttering, beautifully textured pages in Da Vinci’s faded handwriting – stole the show.
“This is an innovative way to bring treasures – including mine – to a new audience,” Gates said, as the 72-page notebook – known as the Leicester Codex – danced back and forth on the two giant screens behind him.
Gates said that Turning the Pages 2.0, the program that displayed the notebook was among many Vista was making available to Windows users.
“It is just one of many thousands,” he said. “Every time we move the platform up to a new level, we’re amazed at what the software industry does with it.”
More than five years in the making, Vista was released for businesses November 30, but the unveiling for consumers only came Tuesday. It went on sale in 70 countries, along with new versions of Microsoft Exchange e-mail software and the flagship Office business suite, which includes Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
Gates said that what the public expected from computers had changed dramatically over the past decade – and that Vista would provide the platform to meet those new needs.
Vista will help power what Gates called the new “digital lifestyle” by opening up a new environment for software makers to develop their products, something he said had always been critical to Windows’ success.
“We’re unleashing people’s creativity and I’m excited by what can happen,” he said.
Gates also emphasized the program’s new security features, including new controls that allow parents to eavesdrop on their children’s electronic movements and restrict the amount of time they spent on the computer.
“Safety has been a huge element of the investment that we’ve made here,” he said.
Gates bought the Leicester Codex in 1994 for $31 million. It is joined on the British Library’s Web site by the Arundel Codex, one of the more prominent pieces of the British Library’s collection.
This was the first time the two have been displayed together – albeit virtually – since they were separated 500 years ago.
Later, Gates traveled to Edinburgh to announce a deal with the Scottish executive which would provide mentoring and professional training to disadvantaged youth. He was due to meet British Treasury chief
Source: http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/01/31/gates.davinci.ap/index.html
Anyone smelling free-masonry here?
System that will control the way of life on Earth= Computer/Windows = passage to the future (Vista) > Founder Gates gone to Edinburgh:confused: = The origin of Templar Knights’ world-wide rule
I know I am starting a new conspriacy. But lots of similarities though.