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The Company Everyone Loves To Hate

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the certainly-a-newsmaker dept.

In honor of Microsoft's 30th year, Epeeist writes "The BBC is running a Have Your Say article on Microsoft at 30." From that article: "Microsoft will always adapt and buy into other areas to keep themselves at the top. They're the company everyone loves to hate." While they're reflecting, most people are focusing on the now. teslatug writes "Brian Jones, a Microsoft PM on the Office team, has just confirmed that the new default XML format of Office 12 is not compatible with the GPL. Brian believes that LGPL may be compatible, but others have raised issues about the ability to redistribute." Relatedly, shades66 writes "Microsoft's Alan Yates tripped over his own words in responding to the Massachusetts Information Technology Division's late-August declaration for OpenDocument and other open software standards." For some more colourful commentary, smooth wombat writes "John Dvorak has written an article for MarketWatch in which he postulates that the reorganization by Microsoft is actually a prelude to its breakup into three separate entities."

10 of 274 comments (clear)

  1. Cool by gowen · · Score: 5, Funny

    Let's ask slashdotters what they think of Microsoft. Again.

    That's bound to produce an enlightening, well balanced, polite thread.

    --
    Athletic Scholarships to universities make as much sense as academic scholarships to sports teams.
  2. Look out! by TripMaster+Monkey · · Score: 3, Funny
    From Dvorak's article:
    If examined closely these three entities could easily be spun into new companies with their own CEO and stock. Current Microsoft shareholders could be given one share of each for each share of Microsoft stock. Then it's off to the races.
    Dear God....it's getting ready to reproduce!!!
    --
    ____

    ~ |rip/\/\aster /\/\onkey

  3. The Man Weighs in by jatemack · · Score: 2, Funny

    Microsoft are the greatest company in the world and managed by a genius.
    Bill, Seattle

    You would think he would let his legal department come up with a better reply than that.

    --
    // no
  4. Microsoft made me a ton of money by John+Jorsett · · Score: 5, Funny

    I bought a bunch of MSFT stock in 1987 and rode it up until selling in 2000. However much I despise Bill Gates, I figure I owe him my financial independence at least. So, stick it only partway up your backside, Bill.

  5. The anti-slashdot by Great+Briton · · Score: 3, Funny

    Wow, don't look at the comments on the BBC page. It's the anti-Slashdot!

  6. I thought everyone hated some other company more by WormholeFiend · · Score: 4, Funny

    namely, SCO.

    Are they dead yet?

  7. I blame South Park.... by tktk · · Score: 4, Funny

    In the South Park movie, Bill Gates got shot in the head and everyone in the theater laughed. Once South Park wants to kill you, the teeming masses will follow.

    1. Re:I blame South Park.... by B5_geek · · Score: 2, Funny

      My personal favorite quote comes from Farscape.

      John Crichton: "Bill Gates can't guarantee Windows. How are you going to guarantee my safety?"

      --
      "The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." ~Plato (427-347 BC)
  8. Re:uneducated public (re: Microsoft's history) by killmenow · · Score: 2, Funny
    Windows is great for the normal person who uses computers for everyday things.
    Yeah...everyday things like sitting back watching it fill up with spyware, trojans, viruses and other mal-ware on its own. "Look! It's automated!"
  9. Re:uneducated public (re: Microsoft's history) by ahodgson · · Score: 2, Funny

    Hell ya. You can turn 100,000's of thousands of machines into willing zombies just by sending out some email. How much more powerful can you get.