His salary is irrelevant. The point is that Gates criticized Kodesh for having ideas that Gates didn't like. That is a very different matter from criticizing Kodesh's ideas themselves. The message is clear: Think what we tell you to think or leave.

Now you ask, better for whom? And I suggest, Better for Microsoft. It's possible to encourage people to explore different directions without pursuing them all. Gates could have ixnayed the message without ixnaying the messenger, and I hope that I am able to do that when it's my turn to deal with someone suggesting I scrap everything I've worked hard to build.