I’ve received quite a few comments to recent posts whining about how hard it is to keep up with Microsoft’s onslaught of developer technology (.net 2, 3, AJAX, etc.). While I’m not in the business of defending Microsoft, I do think they can’t win: if they were not innovating they’d be accused of sitting on their “monopoly” being in need of competition to force them to create new technology….
… I do acknowledge that it is difficult to keep up; but a quick look back 10 years shows that (a) what took 3 years to develop we can now create in months (if not weeks) and (b) we can now create web sites and desktop applications that were undreamed of just five years ago and (c) the tools are getting better and better and more and more reliable.
One complaint I keep hearing is that Microsoft is wringing money from developer’s pockets; which I also don’t understand, as they give away for free the express versions of all their tools, and while I personally think that being in business to turn a profit is not an evil pursuit, it is certainly true that you can learn enough of all of the skills required to get a great job (and have your tools bought for you) by downloading the free versions (and free documentation if it comes to that) from Microsoft (though nothing compares with a well written book!!)
Finally, when I compare the difficulty of learning .NET 2 or .NET 3 with learning, for example, COM, and when I compare the reliability of the release products today vs. a decade ago, I am very impressed that a company as big and potentially cumbersome as Microsoft has been able to make such incredible strides. Personally, I’m thrilled with their AJAX library, and I’m blown away by .NET 3; so much so that I bought up the name GOTDOTNET3.com and intend to move my focus to .NET3 over the next 2 years.
I say the same things over and over. Some need a dog to kick right or wrong. If they are going to kick a dog, I am not too concerned Microsoft is going to suffer much as we continue to fork over for subscriptions year after year for these great tools and technologies that just get better and better. I bet you avoid sentances like that last one in your books which by the way I also keep buying version after version. Are you related to BG?
Amen, brother!
Too many people now expect everything to be handed to them on a platter: They don't want to study, or learn, or work hard -- But expect society, or government, or Microsoft, or their employer, etc. to bend over backwards and satisfy all their desires.
It's childish and pathetic. If they don't want to exercise their minds, then they should go back to burger-flipping or selling real estate for awhile until they appreciate how good they have it. Or better yet, go program Perl on Linux for awhile and then you can see what real horrors are!
Plus I don't understand why they are whining to Jesse about Microsoft... Last I checked, he had no relationship to MS. It's like complaining to your barber about your car getting smashed - Pointless.