OSNews

I believe hating microsoft is more than hell of a good reason, as they did way more than enough to be hated.

Also, i think it's a good way to force them interoperate with everyone else in the future..

Well I really don't think that hating someone is good enough to place a fine on them.
If so, you better get ready because you will be paying for my kids college.

On the contrary... because we know of MS history is why we hate them.

Anyway... just to make a long story short and not repeat what is elsewhere: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Microsoft

Take their agreement with Stac, for instance. They had an agreement to add compression to MS-DOS and at the last minute, they canceled the agreement and they put the compression in by themselves. They ended up paying Stac in court.

How about what they did with DR-DOS 5 and Windows 3.0 where the installation spread FUD since MS-DOS wasn't installed or the fact that they did the same thing with DR-DOS 6 and Windows 3.1? Andrew Schulmann showed, using Periscope, how they were not checking for safety's sake--they were checking for DR-DOS.

There were many other incidences, so which history are we supposed to remember?

At this point, the only thing that amazes me is that no one has (yet) accused you of being a Microsoft employee/shill/Bill Gates himself/etc.

Personally, my (cynical) attempt at an explanation is that "anything-but-Microsoft" posturing so become so popular that it's the first choice of those who wish to appear insightful - but can't be bothered with the effort of gaining actual insight.

The irony - and the sad part - is that when peoplle criticize Microsoft solely using simplistic rhetoric, it accomplishes the exact opposite of the intended effect. Speaking personally, it makes me want to go out and purchase Microsoft stock just to be contrary - in the same way that strident anti-smoking propaganda makes me want to go chain-smoke a pack of Lucky Strikes.

It's certainly not as if there is any lack of legitimate, specific reasons to criticize Microsoft and their software.

Edited 2008-05-10 20:13 UTC

yeah, I'm actually surprised they haven't yet, too

Microsoft has history of monopolistic behavior that goes deep in the past. It is in best interest of the computer users, consumers and developers of cross platform applications to keep Microsoft under constant pressure and at disadvantage.

That way there is more chance to have many products to choose from by different vendors and at lower prices.

Figuratively speaking Microsoft's head should be kept under water all the time, except very brief periods to let them breath some air. This is not about Open Source, FSF and those things it is just pure interest.