Microsoft beclowns self; Linux now cool

The tech world has a minor buzz about Microsoft's recent "report" stating that Apple is expensive, and Steve Jobs is an idiot, and Apple's customers just buy Apple because they want to be cool. Or something.

I had thought it was all a bit of a yawn, until the tech press threw a blanket over Microsoft and started hitting it with baseball bats:

Linux is never mentioned, of course, and some might argue that this report is a smokescreen to keep people from looking at the third alternative. And since this report emphasizes both short- and long-term costs and expenses, Linux is actually the elephant (or the jaunty jackalope) in the room.

The fact of the matter is, Microsoft is foolish to do more than work on its own products and make them as good as they can. I don't understand this incessant need to belittle everything that is not Microsoft. The company does it with products. And with the entire Open Source movement. And with people. And on every level. The only other company that engaged in this sort of juvenile behavior was Sun Microsystems when Scott McNealy was CEO.

You're as mature as Scott McNealy. Ouch.

And Linux? Cool, baby:

Microsoft is irked by Apple, that's all. I would be, too. But again, the company is taking its eye off the Linux ball. Linux is cool too, in a more nerdy, geeky way.

The author also points to The Register's surgical dissection of this report, What Price Nonsense?

Grab some popcorn. This'll get good when the Mac fanboys get back from de-worming their computers.