Go on, early adopters, pay to prove me wrong.

Money is power. Power corrupts. Ethical behavior is incompatible with the pursuit of profit. This is the essence of the old adage "Money is the root of all evil." Think about this very carefully while you consider what values of your own are compromised because you're a slave to your paycheck. Now multiply and amplify that ad infinitum.

Please read this twice if you feel the need to refute anything herein.

If your counter argument is "nanny nanny boo boo", then aren't you rather confirming OP's point that this is a game of ideological mud slinging?

YES!! I AM AVERSE TO CHANGE! Wanna know why? Because computers and software are not shoes. They're tools. If I wanted my tools to change, then I would be very accepting of not being able to find the handle on my new crescent wrench or how to use my new swingless nail driver (hammer).

I want my hardware and software to work day in and day out in the familiar comfortable way I am used to with improvements to those specific patterns. I want it to be predictable and reliable. Gradual, well-planned and NEEDED change is good. Change for the sake of change is not, and I think that's what we have way too much of today.

Save the change for hairdos and wardrobes.

They've actually got on top of much of the core stuff in the past few years. Which is why it's astonishing that they went so nuts with "Window" 8.

Remember when Gates BSOD'd Win98 at a presentation? And laughed, because he know that people would still queue up to buy it.

You don't "lay off" in order to recruit "new people". In many jurisdictions, you can't do that legally.

Not that EA has ever cared about silly little things like employment laws.

Incidentally, I work for a 10,000+ employ software company, and to my knowledge and belief, they have never "laid off" anyone, ever.

I'd better tell management that consistent year on year growth - and regularly heading up the best companies to work for lists - is "abnormal" and "unhealthy". They're doing it wrong!

Because when I read "EA" and "slashing workforce" I half expected it to be about "the cubicle stabbings will continue until morale improves."

Good job that's not in the slightest bit radioactive then.

If nuclear adopted the same attitude that coal has always had, then reactor leaks would be result in a shrug and a response of "So what, you can't see it, so it can't hurt you."

tl;dr version - money attracts money. Who knew?

I used to be a Bitcoin investor like you, then I took an Apple to the knee.

They're not far off. Try 900 miles.

Because by the time anyone who could come up with accurate estimate is asked for their opinion, the product has already been sold and the contracts signed.

Prioritise the order of development and get on with it. It'll be done when it's done, you'll get paid or you won't. Wasting time producing imaginary numbers has never fulfilled a contract, ever.

Anyone else having real problems not reading that as "instigating"?

Well, quite. An equally accurate headline would be "China #1 for dirty energy production".