On bashing Microsoft

John Topley blogs:

It’s not accidental that a large proportion of the brightest people in the business work for Microsoft. Some would claim that this is down to the lure of MS cash. I don’t buy that argument because for people this smart remuneration would be generous at any company, besides which the acquisition of wealth is not their prime motivation. It’s the opportunity to do great stuff and reach a large number of people. As I’m writing this I’m deliberately trying to be as objective as I can and I’m trying not to just come across as an MS fanboy because I don’t think I am. I’m certainly not reticent about criticising Microsoft when I think they need to do better; indeed you can find several examples on this site.

I welcome diversity in the computing arena and I actively take opportunities to learn about non-Microsoft technology. For example, today whilst I should have been working I read quite a lot about Apple OS X�which I think is a great OS�and I also burnt a CD with Knoppix Linux on it (more about that another time).

What really annoys me is when people are so blinded by their hatred of Microsoft that they lose all objectivity and go about spouting drivel to others, when they haven’t even thought about what it is they’re actually saying and why they’re saying it. Often they’re just repeating the anti-MS mantra because that’s what you do. When so-called IT professionals display this prejudice in an official capacity in meetings, I’m afraid I lose all respect I may have had for them. I flip the bozo bit. The same goes for those who refer to M$ or Micro$oft.