Why the Spelling "Micro$oft"? 12

[Mike555]

Ok, this is really bugging me. Why does everyone refer to Microsoft as Micro$oft? Is this just a trend? Or is it that posters electing to replace the S with $ are steering clear of any potential repercussions possibly caused by posts containing view points critical of the software giant?

Please explain this to me or just tell me that I'm overthinking this one.

--
Mike

 

[CajunCenturion]

You're probably overthinking. It is a reference to the fact that M$ has only one objective in mind - to make money. Sure, they pay lip service to such things as customer support, good documentation, and all of those other attributes (it works) that people like to associate with software, but they are first and foremost a marketing company with the sole objective to get rich.

Good Luck
--------------
To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read FAQ181-2886
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[lgarner]

Similar to referring to MicroSucks, MicroSnot, MicroWhatever. Many, many moons ago this might have been considered almost clever, and I'm sure the posters who use these devices still think so.

Personally, I simply find it distracting and skip over those posts in favor of the more thoughtful and professional ones.

 

[sleipnir214]

Actually, it's "Mi[¢]ro$oft" -- Bill doesn't just want the folding stuff.


And in a similar vein to CajunCenturion's post, it's a reference to the fact that, in my opinion, that the company has used first-rate marketing to cover up second-rate software engineering for way too long.



Want the best answers? Ask the best questions!

TANSTAAFL!!

 

[DrJavaJoe]

Bill Gates has put together one of the greatest companies ever and in so doing has become one of the richest men ever, so naturally you're going to have some level jealousy and envy.

Two strings walk into a bar. The first string says to the bartender: 'Bartender, I'll have a beer. u.5n$x5t?*&4ru!2[sACC~ErJ'. The second string says: 'Pardon my friend, he isn't NULL terminated'.

 

[Mike555]

the company has used first-rate marketing to cover up second-rate software engineering for way too long

I will totally agree with that point. Every time I read Microsoft books, articles, whitepapers, even the help files, I feel like I have to dig through 5 layers of marketing crap to get to whatever technical details I need.

--
Mike

 

[DrJavaJoe]

Just curious, if you consider Microsoft's engineering to be

second-rate software engineering

then what do you consider to be first-rate software engineering.

Two strings walk into a bar. The first string says to the bartender: 'Bartender, I'll have a beer. u.5n$x5t?*&4ru!2[sACC~ErJ'. The second string says: 'Pardon my friend, he isn't NULL terminated'.

 

[CajunCenturion]

For starters, one in which the left hand knows what the right hand is doing.

First-rate software engineering would not allow one programming team to modify a global library function, such as an API. That is one of major culprits of a Microsoft upgrade which causes other applications to fail.

Good Luck
--------------
To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read FAQ181-2886
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[mrdenny]

All of the big software companies put there help docs and web pages through the marketing department before releasing them to customers. I've even read an email in response to a web site (the email was posted on the site) that was from a ranking technical person at Oracle Corp that had obvsouly gone through the marketing department first.

Don't you ever wonder where all the cute little names for apps come from these days? It's not from the developers, it's from the project managers and the marketing teams.

As for people getting so upset at Microsoft working to make a profit, isn't that what every company does? That's why they are called for profit companies. Being non-proffit is nobel and all, but it doesn't pay the bills (no pun intended here).

Denny

--Anything is possible. All it takes is a little research. (Me)

 

[Dimandja]

DrJavaJoe, when one gets rid of rivals, one can always claim to be second to none. There are many fine software houses -- they are not as marketing savvy as M$ though.

Without automation, M$ software would be worth much.

To second CC, M$ patches rank up there with Attila the Hun. They'll destroy your applications without warning. Oh, and you can remove the darn thing once it landed on your machine. Every time I apply one of their patches, I wonder which application will suddenly cease to work this time. It's barbarous!

 

[Dimandja]

Correction: "Oh, and you can't remove the darn thing once it landed on your machine".

 

[CajunCenturion]

mrdenny - I don't have a problem with Microsoft making a profit. I do have a problem with the quality of their products, and the means they use to stifle the competition so that quality cannot be used as a parameter in the decision to buy.

Good Luck
--------------
To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read FAQ181-2886
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[willir]

Me... I use the term so someone searching the web for MicroSoft wont pull up the articles I post. Not that I have anything to hide - for specific applications, specific problems, people have commented that they see my posts -- this is a good thing. But I am a little shy about using the MS word for things that are not directly related to MS. I use their products, but this does not mean I endorse everything they do. ...Call me silly.

 

[sleipnir214]

DrJavaJoe:
You may be right. It could be envy of Gates' success and wealth.

But why do so few write "Ora[¢]le" or "Larry Elli$on"?



Want the best answers? Ask the best questions!

TANSTAAFL!!

 

[edfair]

I suspect that most of the people that use the $ have suffered some of the fallout of Micro$oft's heavy handed business practices, one of which CC noted above. I know it cost me 2 weeks of effort at no pay while Artisoft was fighting one undocumented API change. Artisoft's software people were a little more unhappy than using a $.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[DrJavaJoe]

With the number of people who use Windows, with the varying types of hardware configurations and components
and of varying types of software, I think it is an amazing piece of work. Sure it has it's flaws and sure it should and will get better, but come on I say kudos to the engineering team at Microsoft. I don't condone their monopolistic ways, but that is what regulations are for, it's a natural instict for businesses to do away with the competition, that's what competion is all about.

Two strings walk into a bar. The first string says to the bartender: 'Bartender, I'll have a beer. u.5n$x5t?*&4ru!2[sACC~ErJ'. The second string says: 'Pardon my friend, he isn't NULL terminated'.

 

[edfair]

Maybe it will get better. I'm not really counting on it.
It shouldn't matter that people use different hardware and different software. If the entry points and exit points are properly documented hardware and software people can make it work.
It is when changes are made without proper documentation that people get hurt.
And if more time was spent on fixing the problems rather than hurrying to the next release to fix them we would all be better off.
And now we have XP SP2. Another disaster in the making?

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[zebratech]

Dr. JavaJoe states "With the number of people who use Windows....", which sums it all up in a nutshell. How many of those people would actually be using windows if they were offered a choice instead of having it preloaded on their new PC's? Sure they could format their drives and reinstall something else but MS is betting on the fact that people won't. What bothers me most about MS is their drive to be a monopoly. Diversity and choice is what benefits the consumer and ensures an environment for creativity which results in better quality products.



Unix IS user friendly... It's just selective about who its friends are.

 

[Mike555]

On the topic of first- and second-class programming...

I do not think that first-class programs should have to be upgraded (to), purchased, or for that matter marketed, on the premise that their previous version(s) contained major design flaws. IE - Windows XP

Micro$oft (I had to say it at least once in the post)

--
Mike

 

[DrJavaJoe]

Your right, they shouldn't have released XP until 2008-2010 when it was truly flawless and to find out if it was flawless they could have began beta testing in 2001 with an expected release date some 7 - 9 years from then.

Maybe they should simple things up, why do we need all of those button and menus in MS Word, if people need to write documents, notepad is really all you need, bells and whistles such as changing the font, adding tables, mail merge, etc only leaves room for bugs.

Two strings walk into a bar. The first string says to the bartender: 'Bartender, I'll have a beer. u.5n$x5t?*&4ru!2[sACC~ErJ'. The second string says: 'Pardon my friend, he isn't NULL terminated'.