It also understands that aging Americans who rely on computers now won't want to stop using them later in life even if they can't type, see the screen clearly, or hear an MP3 download at normal volume. So, Gates has shrewdly positioned his company to be a primary provider of technology for people who have lived through the Information Age and can't imagine life without computers in their senior years. Being able to use computers also could help older Americans earn money in the New Economy. Fact is, as the baby boomers become geezers, disabilities related to age are the fastest-growing category in this country. The ailments span a wide range from arthritis, affecting mobility and dexterity, to macular degeneration, impairing vision.
Gates thinks so.
That's why Microsoft has assigned 50 people to work on developing assistive technologies. The commitment costs the company millions of dollars in manpower alone each year. These job slots could just as easily be filled with programmers working on more immediately lucrative projects such as the next Windows operating system. Microsoft claims it makes money on disability products, although it won't disclose how much. And it's unclear whether this profit comes from the sale of products specifically made for the disabled or from the sale of Windows operating systems, which include features that make them easier to use for the disabled.