Why Doesn't Microsoft Have A Cult Religion?

rs232 writes "'Apple has one. So does the Java community, Oracle, IBM, and Google. Lord knows anyone who uses Linux or free and open source software is dedicated to spreading the gospel of St. Linus Torvalds and St. Richard Stallman. But does anyone really worship the Gods of Redmond?' While many Microsoft employees are pumped to work there, article author Michael Singer explores why even enthusiastic Microsoft-watchers acknowledge that customers and product developers are unenthusiastic about the software giant. He theorizes that it comes down to passion: Microsoft lost that a long time ago, he says, and so passionate people gravitate to other projects and products."

Comments

Re:Microsoft Is Like America.

[Anonymous Coward]

Microsoft is like America. They are forever telling everybody else what to do, their latest escapade was a complete disaster and they are very likely to implode up their own arse. And everyone hates them for it.

Man! Was that trolling or what?!

Re:by definition

[Invidious]

Exactly. Apple has a cult. Linux has a cult. Microsoft is the equivalent of Catholocism. ;)

Re:Life Under the Dominant Cult.

[Moridineas]

The damage done by this cult is beyond that done by most religious cults by far, and second only to Communism in modern times. Couldn't agree more--just the other day in fact, my computer jumped up and strangled my sister--how much longer are we going to put up with this yolk of oppression? How many must die?!!

The more zealous members have an intolerance found only in those who have confused their faith for science. Simply mentioning alternatives in front of them is unpleasant enough to enrage them and torrents of abuse soon follow. They demand that people modify their morals to accommodate their obsolete business and software development models, which would otherwise perish. Yes, this too. The last time I mentioned linux in public an angry mob of microsoft enthusiasts formed and chased me out of town.. these people are utterly astonishing.

Oh, and kudos on thinking up "winDOS" and "M$" -- BRILLIANT!! Man, that really shows those bastards whos boss!

M$ is like a bad drug.

[twitter]

I know plenty of really passionate Microsoft fanbois. In fact they are the only people I know who have copies of Vista Ultimate.

I know lots of less passionate Microsoft fanboys. They are like drunk people who don't know they are drunk. The very idea of anything but M$ on their networks is unpossible to them. They don't know how anyone can get along without M$ and treat them suspiciously like a witch or nija. Because M$ is closed source, you have to take it on faith, but they confuse M$ with science. Their OS and software choice is a constant source of irritation and dissaster for them but they refuse to seek alternatives. They consider themselves perfectly rational and normal. These are more dangerous than those who realize their own passions and irrationality.

Re:NNNOOObody

[Anonymous Coward]

...but everyone expects that joke.

Re:Microsoft Is Like America.

[slacknhash]

Father Ted: It's not as if everyone's going to go off and join some mad religious cult just because we go off for a picnic for a couple of hours!

Father Dougal: God, Ted, I heard about those cults. Everyone dressing in black and saying our Lord's gonna come back and judge us all!

Father Ted: No... no, Dougal, that's us. That's Catholicism.

Sorry. Someone had already done the relevant Python quote. I'll get me coat.

Re:Microsoft Is Like America.

[Darby]

How does one perform self-flagellation on another?

It's complicated, kinky, and illegal in 12 states.