While we knew that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer had forbidden his offspring from using competitors’ products like iPods and, yes, even Google, we always thought his predecessor, Bill Gates, hovered above the fray, unconcerned with such earthly matters. Alas, it seems our otherworldly faith in Mr. Microsoft might have been misplaced.

Geeksugar reports that in an interview in this month’s issue of Vogue, Bill’s wife Melinda says that Apple products are among the persona non grata (objecta non grata?) in the heavily fortified Gates compound.

“There are very few things that are on the banned list in our household. But iPods and iPhones are two things we don’t get for our kids.”

I would say that those poor Gates children might feel a little left out when all their peers show up at school sporting the hippest new iPod, while they're just staring at their Zunes. However, then I recalled that they arrive at school every morning on talking golden unicorns and my anger on their behalf was, shall we say, assuaged.

For her part, Mrs. Gates does occasionally find herself succumbing to iPhone envy: “Every now and then I look at my friends and say ‘Ooh, I wouldn’t mind having that iPhone.’” There’s your opening, Cupertino—time to exploit it. Wait until she finds out that Bill's been hiding a MacBook Air in a manila envelope in his office.

[via Gizmodo]