Do you dislike Microsoft?

[Katana314]

In terms of computing, I often see them as the underdog and trying to do the right thing. Plus, they are my favorite learning and functional programming environment. Intellisense in Visual Studio is awesome.

To those complaining about Windows crashing; to be fair, a completely fresh, clean Windows box with nothing installed will more than likely never crash. It's when poorly-written apps do something bad that it starts causing trouble. That's not a catch-all excuse by any means as it's partially an OS's responsibility to make sure apps don't do that, but still, MS isn't as much to blame as you think.

In the gaming world, I think they screw a lot of things up. Xbox Live Gold should not be a paid service, and GFWL is very bloated.

 

[pulse2]

On the internet, there seems to be a fair amount of dislike for Microsoft, not specifically on this site, but on lots of other sites, people seem to have a problem with the company, where gaming and xbox is concerned.

Personally, I think that Microsoft does a really good job, the console itself is fantastic, and the Xbox Live service itself works really well. Online play is smooth, the marketplace works fantastically, they support lots of other avenues, like Facebook, Netflix, and the indie games section is especially cool for smaller time developers who want to get their games on Xbox.

The main thing I see though, is while people mention the bad things that they do, they never seem to mention the good things. The deals of the week tend to be good, i know i've purchased many games or add ons through that, and while they charge for the ability to play online with others, it's not exactly an unfair price. And

Just wondering what peoples opinions are on Microsoft, are they the giant money grabbing conglomerate many make them out to be, or do you think that all the criticism is undeserved?

I don't like or dislike Microsoft, in fact I'm neutral with all companies, I don't see why I should like a company, they don't like me or you, they just like our money, if you stop paying, they stop caring, your service gets taken away and you get a big 'fuck off'. So why should we LIKE a company?

 

[Grey_Focks]

they only think about money.

What corporation doesn't? You think Apple and Sony care about their customers any more than MS? That's funny if you do.

OT: Nope. Never had a problem with my 360, never had a problem that was OS related, Windows 7 is actually pretty badass, and most importantly, their existence keeps Sony's prices honest, and vice versa. Capitalism, ho.

 

[Reaper195]

Personally, I don't care. Microsoft haven't really done anything to annoy me. I hardly ever play games online, so I don't pay for Live (That, and I also have a PS3. Go having a job!). The biggest problem I've ever had with Microsoft is my laptop constantly asking me if I'm sure I want to allow the program I just asked it to install if I want to install.

And don't tell me to turn User Account Control (Certain that's what it's called) off, since it only takes an extra second to click. It's more irritating than actively annoying.,

 

[gabe12301]

Kind of. Using a PC fills me with rage every time it catches a virus.

That's not really Microsoft's fault. It just happens to be a big target.

 

[Vibhor]

Kinect? Always seemed a big risk for me, and some good stuff is coming from the tech.

The thing is, that Microsoft would have never ever done Kinect, if Nintendo hadn't started the whole motion control thing.

Kinect was being called project natal before the wii was announced.

Project natal was announced in 2009 whereas Wii has been available on retail since 2006
Get your facts right.

 

[CrystalShadow]

On the internet, there seems to be a fair amount of dislike for Microsoft, not specifically on this site, but on lots of other sites, people seem to have a problem with the company, where gaming and xbox is concerned.

Personally, I think that Microsoft does a really good job, the console itself is fantastic, and the Xbox Live service itself works really well. Online play is smooth, the marketplace works fantastically, they support lots of other avenues, like Facebook, Netflix, and the indie games section is especially cool for smaller time developers who want to get their games on Xbox.

The main thing I see though, is while people mention the bad things that they do, they never seem to mention the good things. The deals of the week tend to be good, i know i've purchased many games or add ons through that, and while they charge for the ability to play online with others, it's not exactly an unfair price. And

Just wondering what peoples opinions are on Microsoft, are they the giant money grabbing conglomerate many make them out to be, or do you think that all the criticism is undeserved?

I would say this has nothing to do with the Xbox. Hatred for Microsoft goes back a long way.
It was already rampant in 1995.

The basis of that hatred originally tended to focus about the way Microsoft conducted it's business.

Which, essentially is summed up in the phrase "Embrace, extend, Extinguish."

Which is,
Embrace: Buy out your competition.
Extend: If they refuse, copy all their good ideas, then extend them slightly.
Extinguish: Then, use your control over the PC, and huge resources compared to most competitors, to drive them out of business by any means nessesary.

Then, when the competition is gone, Microsoft is left with no competition, and no need to do much of anything to improve their software.

See: Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office... Microsoft Internet explorer - For products that have at least for part of their history successfully pulled off this concept.

(Windows made Apple into a niche product for a long time, but also Crushed OS2, and a long list of other OS options. Even DOS was a known ripoff of an OS called CP/M, which failed.

Microsoft office abused undocumented features of the windows API to do things no competitor could match, then ensured it's document format became standard, and more or less unreadable by any competitor.

Internet explorer seriously undermined netscape by being bundled with windows, but also in the way that it was embedded so deeply into the system it couldn't be removed, even if you didn't want it.)

There's plenty of examples of dubious things microsoft has done in the past, and people have rightfully hated them because of it.

Of course, it isn't really fair, because plenty of companies are just as bad, if not worse (Apple, I'm looking at you here), and get away with it with not even the vaguest hint of criticism.

But, I guess that's the price paid for being the biggest fish in the pond. (Google is starting to suffer for it now, despite it's 'do no evil' mantra...)

 

[Radeonx]

No.
I work as a programmer for Microsoft, and they are awesome.

this must be awkward for you huh

Not at all...most of the complaints that go to Microsoft are towards their Xbox Live services (I will be working NO WHERE NEAR the game department), and how I just signed the contract and have yet to move to their headquarters, it doesn't bother me at all.

 

[gabe12301]

Kinect? Always seemed a big risk for me, and some good stuff is coming from the tech.

The thing is, that Microsoft would have never ever done Kinect, if Nintendo hadn't started the whole motion control thing.

Kinect was being called project natal before the wii was announced.

Project natal was announced in 2009 whereas Wii has been available on retail since 2006
Get your facts right.

I edited my post earlier.

 

[Levi93]

I have a few reasons why I've turned away from Microsoft and the xbox over the last few years.

Advertisments: Ok so first thing this doesn't apply to every one, this depends on where you live but Microsoft are cramming in adverts everywhere they can, so basically your paying for the service and you have to view the adverts.

MS points: it's a made up currency and you're forced to but set amounts of this currency with no real value and when you do purchase you're always forced to buy more than you need leaving you with excess point which you can't do anything with, yes they add up over time but why not just go with straight forward purchases?

Technical issues: well first thing is that the RRoD and E74 error are still present, even in the 360 slim (the numbers are reduced yes but they are still there) and the slim models have introduced a new problem where they will destroy disks with a slight movment of the console (some people have even claimed that when their 360 was standing vertical the vibration of the fan alone was enough to break the disk.

They force developers to charge for DLC so they can add to their cash pile, they also stopped Valve from introducing steam to the 360 and told them to use their already existing Games for Windows Live, so valve just went to sony.

They wanted to charge users for using free services such as Hulu video play and the BBC iPlayer.

Finally they disable alot of third party hardware because they make no profit from it, I think the only acception to this is wired USB controllers, not too sure about this though.

They tried to make PC gamers to pay to use Games for Windows Live and I bet you can guess what the majority of reactions were for that

So yeah after analysing my arguements it's pretty much because Microsoft is a money hungry corporation that is trying to leech as much money as possible from its customers.

 

[Radeonx]

they only think about money

Name one company that doesn't care primarily about money.

And then name one CEO/founder/whatever who has donated as much of their fortunes to various charities and the like as Bill Gates has.

 

[blankedboy]

Well I like Windows and I like Zune, but I hate everything else they've put out.

But seriously, can you argue with NT? The only alternative is ReactOS which is apparently a piece of shit.

they only think about money

Name one company that doesn't care primarily about money.

And then name one CEO/founder/whatever who has donated as much of their fortunes to various charities and the like as Bill Gates has.

Mojang LOL NO

 

[jpoon]

Greedy multi-national corporation is greedy. Not a big fan but they do make somewhat decent hardware.

 

[Waaghpowa]

I'm ok with windows, but not so much the Xbox's. I've had far too many failed consoles for me to care anymore, a large library means shit all if it breaks. Also the fact that I need an Xbox live subscription to watch my Netflix subscription is rather stupid.

Note: If I could switch to Ubuntu to run my games, I would in a heart beat.

 

[Korolev]

They ARE a giant money-making conglomerate. All companies are (or wish to be). Sony is, Nintendo is, Microsoft is no different. They're in it to make money. You think Bill Gates started Microsoft up out of the goodness of his own heart and to make kiddies smile? He did it to amass a fortune, and he did.

As for the products that Microsoft release - they work. Windows works. Is it the safest system? Surely not. Is it the most affordable? Given that we can download a number of Linux OSs, again, no. Does it have the most features, and is it the most efficient OS? No. But it works reasonably well.

The Xbox 360 is a fine machine. It's different from the PS3, but there's nothing really wrong with it. Personally, I like the 360 controller better than the PS3 controller, since the PS3's shoulder buttons are all squishy and I don't like how they feel. But the PS3 has Blu-Ray and runs quieter.

Microsoft Office, and the rest of its software are all okay. As a company, they do make innovations and they are deeply involved in network development.

As for their BUSINESS practices, on the other hand, Microsoft have been somewhat unethical. Hey, all companies do unethical stuff, but Microsoft is no exception. Numerous courts have found that they have breached anti-competition laws. In the past, they used their wealth and power to crush competitors - much like how Wal-Mart can destroy a small grocery store, Microsoft could absolutely destroy a smaller company, and they frequently did.

Then again, I wouldn't say Bill Gates was "evil". Anti-competitive, sure, but all Business folks are. Sony have driven out their fair share of competitors and they too release inefficient products. In Japan, there's an Urban Legend of the "Sony Timer", supposedly built into every Sony product to make it malfunction when the next line of products comes out (the rumour was started because Sony products are, by Japanese standards, prone to failure and malfunction).

I don't love Microsoft. How could I? It's a giant company that's in the software business. I simply don't understand why so many people want to defend Microsoft of Sony or Nintendo or Apple or any other software/hardware company.

Let me ask you this: Do you "Love" or "Hate" Bosch, the washing-machine manufacturer? Do you get into passionate arguments over which is better: A Westinghouse fridge or a LG Fridge? Do you spark massive flame wars over what type of fax machine you buy? No? Then why do so over a video game console?

Your video game console is a consumer electronics item. It's a lump of moulded plastic with some circuits and a hard-drive in it. You are not your PS3, or your Xbox. Which console you buy means utterly NOTHING. To ANYONE. You can't infer someone's personality or intelligence based on which console they buy - but you CAN infer something about someone's mental state if they take to "teh internets" to defend a giant corporation that doesn't give one fig about you. You know it's true - neither Sony or Microsoft or Nintendo or Apple or HP or Honeywell or GE or LG or Dell or Lenovo care about you. They don't. Have you spent anytime around a business person? I have - I've met business people, and for all their corporate propaganda about "caring for the customer", the truth is they don't. They don't even see you as people - they see their customers as a bunch of numbers and walking wallets. That's the cold hard truth.

Why you would want to pretend they are your friend is beyond me. I don't hate Microsoft, but neither can I like Microsoft. It's as if I said "Do you hate clouds? Do you hate the Sun? Do you hate Rubidium?" How can I hate those things, or like them very much for that matter?

 

[Smerf]

xp was good, but vista shot any chance of microsoft every holding a fond place in my heart out of the water. i use ubuntu and the only real problem with it is that glorious steam doesn't work that well. which should be one of the seven deadly sins

 

[Korolev]

Just to re-iterate: Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo are all controlled by their various boards and CEO's, most of whom are old, humourless men who would, if they could get away with it, sell their own children's organs for cash. The vast bulk of the management of these companies don't play games - they don't have the time nor the inclination. They don't "identify" with the "gamer" generation - that's why they hire hipster 20-somethings to front their PR.

And please, please, please learn this lesson: They don't care about you. No company does. They don't like you either. They like the disposable income in your pocket, but they don't like you. No company actually cares about its customers - no company can afford to! They wouldn't be responsible, successful businesses if they DID genuinely care about you!

You want to know how Business people see you? They see you as a demographic. As a slice of a pie-chart. As a statistic. The only thing they care about is if you buy their product.

WHY. WOULD. YOU. SPEND. A. SECOND. DEFENDING. THESE. PEOPLE? They don't need defending! They're rich! Successful! And they don't (and shouldn't, in fact) care about you! Your console isn't an emotional link to the Sony or Microsoft CEO! It's a product, like a Toaster, or an Alarm Clock or a digital Camera! It's a piece of hardware! And the companies that make it are just companies! Do you defend the Honour of the "Campbell Soup Company" over "Heinz"? No? Then please, please, PLEASE explain to me why so many people get all angry and hurt arguing over Software Companies or Electronic Goods Manufacturers!

I see Sony and Microsoft in the same light as I see the people who make Spam (the meat product) or Nike Shoes - they're just companies. If they make a good product at a reasonable price, good, I'll buy it. But they're not my friend, not by any means. If they make a bad product that's too expensive, then I won't buy it, but I won't think that they are demons from beyond the veil.

They're just companies. Soulless, money-making companies that want your cash. That's the proper way to see them - dispassionately, and with a cold heart. Love and Hate should be reserved for people, not companies.

 

[Charli]

I have no reason to hate them, Apple Committed the sin of being an inoperable piece of poo crap in the 90's and Window's had Vista. They have both sinned and are on equal grounds with me and I will use what shit I feel like from either.

 

[natster43]

No. They are not evil. Hell Apple is more evil than them.

 

[FalloutJack]

We at home here affectionately call them the Evil Empire. That said, there's much more than one of those out there, but the point is that we're affectionate about this.

Microsoft is a super-giant cerial bowl full of money. Bill Gates has more money than Scrooge McDuck, even. However, they deliver a useful product, so some of that money is earned. I'm not gonna say all of it, since my geeky older brother could go on for hours on what in technology Microsoft has done WRONG (and he'd be preaching to the choir, I'm sure). There are elements of Microsoft I don't like, products that I won't be using for either commitment of money elsewhere or just a general dislike of something they're responsible for.

To understand my position of the X-Box, I am a PS3 owner and I'm fine with my decision there. I will not buy this other system and commit even more cashola to it, though I acknowledge that there are some good games in there I wanna try. For the record, I recently tried to win an X-Box at a convention. If given an X-Box this way, I would've accepted it and found some games to put on it, largely due to the fact that I didn't have to commit so much cash to it. But otherwise...nah.

It's just things ABOUT Microsoft, like if they ran better or didn't have certain things in it that had no point.