4 ms·

> I think the universal hate of Microsoft has survived as a meme 'till this day. People may not know the details, but they know they're supposed to dislike MS.

by Jedd 9y ago

> I think the universal hate of Microsoft has survived as a meme 'till this day. People may not know the details, but they know they're supposed to dislike MS. Please do not imply that I am unfamiliar with the historical record here. > Still, all the bad things Microsoft did back then are a rounding error compared to all the good Bill and Melinda are doing right now. My point is, was, and shall remain that all the good things you allude to require all the bad things that happened. It is precisely an 'ends justifies the means' attitude, and I feel the call to pragmatism is disingenuous.

TeMPOraL 9y ago
> Please do not imply that I am unfamiliar with the historical record here. I'm not implying that. I was responding to your assertion that "people under the age of about 35 really have no clue about Ye Bade Olde Days" and asserting that people under 35 know they're supposed to hate Microsoft too, even if they don't know the detailed reasons. > It is precisely an 'ends justifies the means' attitude It's only "end justifies the means" when people start excusing present bad behavior by arguing that it'll lead to something good in the future. My point here boils down to: Dear critic of Bill Gates. So maybe in the past, Bill was evil while you were not. Good for you. But right now, Bill is a force of good, and you're still - at best - not actively harmful to society, so maybe go and do something meaningful instead of making it more difficult for those who do?
- Jedd 9y ago
  > ... asserting that people under 35 know they're supposed to hate Microsoft too, even if they don't know the detailed reasons. I apologise -- I did not intend to sound prescriptive, but rather observe that people over that threshold tend to have a qualitatively different view of MS & Bill than people under it. > It's only "end justifies the means" when people start excusing present bad behavior ... I disagree very strongly with this revisionist attitude. > ... go and do something meaningful ... This is precisely what I'm endeavouring to do.
  - HeyLaughingBoy 9y ago
    FWIW, I'm well past 35 and I'm very familiar with the business practices of Microsoft (so happy that the 'Micro$oft' meme died out) and BillG and I don't give a rat's ass. Yeah, I was pissed off that I couldn't install Windows 3.1 on my copy of DR-DOS. So what? He built a successful business using very aggressive and hard line tactics that left a swath of destruction in its path. Now he's using his wealth for good. Let's stop dwelling on the past and focus on the good of the present.

by Jedd 9y ago

TeMPOraL 9y ago

> Please do not imply that I am unfamiliar with the historical record here. I'm not implying that. I was responding to your assertion that "people under the age of about 35 really have no clue about Ye Bade Olde Days" and asserting that people under 35 know they're supposed to hate Microsoft too, even if they don't know the detailed reasons. > It is precisely an 'ends justifies the means' attitude It's only "end justifies the means" when people start excusing present bad behavior by arguing that it'll lead to something good in the future. My point here boils down to: Dear critic of Bill Gates. So maybe in the past, Bill was evil while you were not. Good for you. But right now, Bill is a force of good, and you're still - at best - not actively harmful to society, so maybe go and do something meaningful instead of making it more difficult for those who do?

Jedd 9y ago
> ... asserting that people under 35 know they're supposed to hate Microsoft too, even if they don't know the detailed reasons. I apologise -- I did not intend to sound prescriptive, but rather observe that people over that threshold tend to have a qualitatively different view of MS & Bill than people under it. > It's only "end justifies the means" when people start excusing present bad behavior ... I disagree very strongly with this revisionist attitude. > ... go and do something meaningful ... This is precisely what I'm endeavouring to do.
- HeyLaughingBoy 9y ago
  FWIW, I'm well past 35 and I'm very familiar with the business practices of Microsoft (so happy that the 'Micro$oft' meme died out) and BillG and I don't give a rat's ass. Yeah, I was pissed off that I couldn't install Windows 3.1 on my copy of DR-DOS. So what? He built a successful business using very aggressive and hard line tactics that left a swath of destruction in its path. Now he's using his wealth for good. Let's stop dwelling on the past and focus on the good of the present.