Microsoft's 12-Step Program

NevarMore writes to tell us eWeek is reporting that Microsoft, after almost 30 years of Windows, now has 12 philosophical tenets outlining Windows development. From the article: "Smith said the principles largely come from things Microsoft picked up in the consent decree the software giant signed in settling its landmark antitrust battle with the federal government, but that more recent developments led to the crafting of some of the other principles. The 12 principles are based on three main areas: choice for computer manufacturers and customers, opportunities for developers, and interoperability for users, Smith said."

Let me guess

[KDR_11k]

The 12 principles are based on three main areas: choice for computer manufacturers and customers, opportunities for developers, and interoperability for users

They are twelve ways to deny all of those?

I got my hopes up!

[Enderandrew]

Damn misleading headlines! I thought this was a 12-step plan to recover from using Microsoft products!

With the belief in a higher power (Linus) you too can break free from Microsoft dependence!

An /. is going to...

[matt4077]

post 12 posts on these 12 tennets?

Here they are

[rohan972]

1. We admitted we were powerless over our operating system --that our computers had become unmanageable.

2. Came to believe that an OS greater than windows could restore us to sanity.

3. Made a decision to turn our computers over to GNU/Linux as we understood it.

4. Made a searching and fearless inventory of files with proprietry formats.

5. Admitted to our local LUG and to ourselves the exact nature of our wrongs.

6. Were entirely ready to have Free software remove all these defects of character.

7. Humbly asked the mailing list to remove our shortcomings.

8. Made a list of all persons we had sent malicious code to, and sent GNU/Linux install CD's.

9. Help such people with the installation wherever possible, except when to do so would result in them being fired.

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we had used proprietry programs, formats or protocols promptly admitted it.

11. Sought through slashdot and man pages to improve our conscious contact with GNU/Linux, as we understood it, asking only for knowledge of how to get our hardware working and perform our tasks.

12. Having had an awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other sufferers, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Re:Actions Speak Louder Than Words...

[mrbobjoe]

...need I say more?

No, but you need to say it louder

Developers

[Anonymous Coward]

Ballmer just called and he's got them:

1. Developers
2. Developers
3. Developers
4. Developers
5. Developers
6. Developers
7. Developers
8. Developers
9. Developers
10. Developers
11. Developers
12. Developers

hmm...

[dud83]

How is this different from their old?
1. Idea
2. Marketing research
3. Develop
4. Create a "mysterious" website promo
5. Spend gazillion dollars on marketing
6. ...
12. Profit

Re:I got my hopes up!

[Jesus_666]

I thought it was a 12-step plan to world domination, but then again, Bungie already has a 7-step plan for that and they work for Microsoft.

Re:That's eleven more than I knew about

[jacksonj04]

Congratulations! You've grasped the core principles of Business 101.

Re:I think they missed a few:

[Anonymous Coward]

screw all of u jealous dumb asses. get a life. for 23 years you have been underdogs to windows and will continue to do so because you are just plain stupid. your life revolves around /. and gay comments against MS while MS is busy doing all the hard work. haha

12 simple points.

[AHuxley]

1. Embrace
2. Indulge ie Embrace
3. Extend
4. FUD
5. Smart guided FUD via 'grass roots' or strange legal 'problems'
6. Extend
7. Extend
8. Embrace
9. Embrace
10-12 Extend

The spiritual awakening is the extinguish part.

Re:They sound like a reform plan

[roystgnr]

If Microsoft really takes these twelve items to heart, it could be a big shift for them.

Absolutely. It'll be just like when Gates announced "Trustworthy Computing" and made security Microsoft's top priority in 2002, and then their products stopped being insecure.

Re:OK, nice philosophy. When's the release date?

[Barny]

Personally, i will wait for "the 12 principles" SP1 before i start to believe them, as, i am sure, would everyone :P

Re:AA

[eosp]

They already attend **AA meetings.

Re:The first step ...

[Kenshin]

The second step is bolting the chairs to the floor.