Employees agree?

Story: An Opposing Viewpoint -- Microsoft Can't CompeteTotal Replies: 18
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richo123

Mar 23, 2006
2:10 PM EDT
Just read an amusing article on Le Inq:

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=30490

Some choice quotes from Microsoft staff:

"Vista is the biggest software development failure of all time, IBM's office vision was the previous record holder, with $900 million spent… Vista has cost five or six billion," the poster moaned.

Other comments called for the head of "Monkey Boy" while others said that it is time for a shareholder revolt.

I am beginning to think that Vista MAY have the potential to be a major MS disaster and a consequent opportunity for Linux.

Herschel_Cohen

Mar 23, 2006
3:00 PM EDT
I used to hear this verity: "This company is so strong an advertiser they could package ... [fecal matter] and sell it as tooth paste to the public". That sounds much like Microsoft's forte to me. But that's just one person's opinion.
devnet

Mar 23, 2006
4:04 PM EDT
Well,

If Vista turns out to be fecal matter in a box, it won't take long for people to smell what the Gates are cooking.
tadelste

Mar 23, 2006
4:34 PM EDT
It's got some nice icons and window treatments. ;-) The window icons on the top left ( close window, maximize and minimize ) have light that come on with a mouse over. How could someone classify that as a disaster.

Boy, you rednecks should go back to drinking Bud lite.
grouch

Mar 23, 2006
4:52 PM EDT
I hope MS keeps right on stuffing features into their cages. It leaves less room for people, who can then come outside and see what the real world looks like. That's a real vista.



"Lite" is for light-heads. Real men squeeze their beer straight out of the bucket.
Herschel_Cohen

Mar 23, 2006
5:01 PM EDT
devnet - you are a terminal optimist, how will differ from past versions on non NT Windows?

And 123 (Doesn't someone have the trade mark on you? Tell us how you escaped some time, will you?) don't get your hopes too high. I am already beginning to hear that there is a new product coming out as a tooth paste (with MS's blessing) called Vista.

Tom - I lost as to the point you are making. Also , how many times do I have to tell you I am the only one allowed the funny lines? Read the contract.
richo123

Mar 23, 2006
5:47 PM EDT
Herschel: Trademark ROFLMAO! I name myself modestly after a famous Australian political headkicker of the 1980s, Senator Grahame Richardson who all the mates called Richo.
richo123

Mar 23, 2006
6:14 PM EDT
Another story here saying up to 60% of the Vista code may have to be rewritten by next February. Bloody hell, five years and then a panic like this at the end? This is starting to look a bit wierd....

http://www.smarthouse.com.au/Computing/Platforms?Article=/Co...
grouch

Mar 23, 2006
7:00 PM EDT
Expect the FUD to get deep while they try to catch up. Microsoft may begin another drip-feed campaign using the media. As migrations to GNU/Linux and OS X increase, those who depend on the monopoly could get vicious.
djohnston

Mar 23, 2006
8:25 PM EDT
Tom, you should get Terry Vessels to write articles. Not only is his research good, but his communication skills are excellent. That seems to be a rare commodity these days.
jimf

Mar 23, 2006
8:42 PM EDT
grouch,

At ATI they already are. Their forum is very dominated by some of the nastiest win fanboys, one of whom is the lead mod. They all claim that Linux users have no need for decent drivers and that the Linux market is of no consequence. When i tried to sign up for the forum (twice), I never got a confirming email. Now do you suppose that was because my email was jimf-linux@.... :D. Now why would ATI support this kind of BS??? It just boggles the mind.

But we know that kind of behavior is typical of all who are in the MS 'circle of friends'. If MS and their minions spent half as much time doing decent coding as they do insulting customers, Vista and decent ATI drivers would have been out years ago. The truth is that Bill's group sells FUD. Always have, always will, and, they do it better than anybody else. Produce a product... No Way! The question now is 'who can Bill buy his new DOS system from this time'.

And here in Linux land, we are upset if Debian takes two years to come out with a new stable release....
grouch

Mar 23, 2006
10:43 PM EDT
jimf: That forum sounds like some hostile places I've passed through. 'Fanboys' is a good description! Just keep in mind that they don't represent the average computer user and their hostile cheerleading won't stand up to logic and facts.

>"The question now is 'who can Bill buy his new DOS system from this time'."

Remember Microsoft has a Linux lab and Bill Hilf. I suspect one of the reasons they are trying to offer "UNIX services" on Vista is they see a need to imitate Linux. They've always had lousy imitations before, but they convince people they were there first. That is followed by continued reinforcement of fear of change. (Their whole product line instills fear of change -- right down to fear of changing the format in a document or clicking a link).

As somebody pointed out, the Vista news kinda puts the Ubuntu delay in perspective.

One of the things I prize about Debian is "stable" _means_ stable. That stability is part of why my wife finally started using a computer a few years ago.

djohnston: Thanks for the kind words. Tom's carrying a tremendous load and could use lots of help as LXer grows. He writes all those articles that make us think plus he deals with editorial duties. That's pretty amazing.

LXer provides a fantastic service -- hand-picked news pointers, focused on Linux. Not only is that a service to readers looking for such news, it's a service to every site that carries Linux news. Add the fact that features, comments and suggestions for news stories may be submitted by anyone, and it is truly a community site.

The long-term significance of LXer in its present form can't be overstated. It has a tighter focus than sites like Slashdot and digg, so those who come to it are seeking precisely what it offers. It does not try to trap readers "in the channel", but rather rewards its readers with what they seek plus rewards other sites that present real Linux news with that readership. That's a recipe for a snowball effect.

Like it says over in the right column: "Do you have something to say to the Linux community?

Publish it here."
Libervis

Mar 24, 2006
5:40 AM EDT
I'd just like to say this was a great article. To be honest, it made by ask myself just why did Tom write what he did in an article this responds to, but then at the end of this response article I got a possible answer to that. If nothing, I definitely believe Tom had and has good intentions.

Right on grouch about LXer. Tom and the company is doing an awesome job. This is definitely the best community oriented news site I've been at. :)

Thank you Daniel
number6x

Mar 24, 2006
6:06 AM EDT
jimf says:

"And here in Linux land, we are upset if Debian takes two years to come out with a new stable release...."

Good point. But at least while we wait 2 or three years for a new debian, we have a stable, secure, efficient current version to use.

XP was supposed to end all stability issues, allay all security fears, and bring the world of super computing to Windows users. How's that working out? Any one learn to fly yet? Where did you want to go yesterday? Are you there yet?

Linux, BSD have been there and done that. We're moving on to new things. Everyone can be a part of it.

And there's always a mac mini for people at the other end of the spectrum. Good bargain. Good OS. Productive, secure, efficient. Yes its proprietary, but Windows users already live in proprietary land.

There are alternatives that give you everything Microsoft is promising today. These alternatives actually do deliver what they say. Just remember that Microsoft has made these same promises before, and delivered damaged goods.
tadelste

Mar 24, 2006
6:17 AM EDT
djohnston: I agree.
sharkscott

Mar 24, 2006
6:29 AM EDT
Here's my two cents,

I think that the article Tom wrote and the discussion it created were a part of his intentions all along. If Tom was more interested in "being right" then he would not have written it in the way he did. I think he knew exactly what he was doing. He had to know that there would be those who would vehemently disagree with what he said. The fact that he wrote it, posted it, a rebuttal was written in response and submitted, then Tom himself posted the rebuttal to the newswire speaks to his true intentions.

He wrote something that he had to know would incite discussion and expression of divergent opinions to his own.

He wrote something that he knew people would talk about, that is what a writer does. If he was concerned even the slightest with having people agree with him, he never would have posted it and allowed others to refute him.

Its like a philosophical debate, good debates do not provide answers. They provide questions that force you to think, re-evaluate your position and then state why.

Writers are not remembered for how everyone agreed with them. They are remembered for what people thought about what they wrote. If everyone agrees on something then what is there to discuss? Nothing.

Did I agree with everything he wrote? No. I don't think Windows is good for anything except sucking, I miss Windows like I miss having terminal cancer and I don't care what anybody says the contrary.

But that's just my opinion, and my two cents is up.
richo123

Mar 24, 2006
7:00 AM EDT
Here's another amusing blog from inside M$:

http://minimsft.blogspot.com/2006/03/vista-2007-fire-leaders...

Things are cooking ;-)
Libervis

Mar 24, 2006
11:06 AM EDT
Indeed sharkscott, that's what I was thinking. We probably need more of articles that entice greater discussion.

However, we should be careful not to misinform while we post enticing thoughts although I don't think Tom's article was disinforming. It was more of an opinion with certain conclusions not everyone (or even most of everyone) agreed with, but everyone was motivated enough to discuss to the benefit (enlightenment) of all.

EDIT: Btw, when I say opinion, I don't mean just that. It did present some facts but with an arguable conclusions. That's what I mean.

Cheers Daniel
sharkscott

Mar 24, 2006
9:11 PM EDT
It still goes back to what I said.

Someone may not like what he said, how he said it or if his information is good enough for them.

He did not lie, he told it how he saw it.

He still got them to talk about it.

If they liked it or not.

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