Gates, a geek?

A Microsoft supremo has said that Bill Gates does not help young people's perceptions of IT professionals.

Speaking at a Westminster eForum event on the IT skills crisis, Stephen Uden, head of skills and economic affairs for Microsoft UK, said Gates does not help improve the street cred of the IT industry.

"The IT business needs to roll up its sleeves and address the profound image problems we have," Uden told the eForum delegates. "Ask any young person their image of an IT person, and its someone very geeky. I guess our chairman doesn't help that image," said Uden.

Meanwhile, at the Parliament and Internet conference last week, I spotted Microsoft UK's chief security adviser Ed Gibson having a little snooze - during a presentation by another Microsoft exec. Oops!