I disagree. I am merely relaying experience.

I agree with you. I think most free software advocates are far too nice to say anything bad about people. Just look at dot net and how it is now "open source". Well, except it isn't because the dot net special interest group doesn't have the source code for tooling they need in order to meet fedora packaging guidelines. This is supposed to be the easy part because from what I understand they rewrote everything for .NET core. I was a big fan of dot net core and now I warn everyone of it. It is best to just avoid Microsoft in many cases.

To divert from the debate on their position on OSS. You started okay about Rotor but then went off on a rant. You're not interested in debating you just want to talk about how bad Microsoft are.

I am stating they've changed somewhat since the Bill Gates days. Is my position really so fucking radical that it deserves your tangential rant about registry settings? Peak quality != OSS stance.

So the quality of the tool chain has everything to do with their attitude to open source software and whether they can be assumed to be a friend or enemy of open source software? We began couching the argument about the company and its businesses practices and we ended on the implementation detail of needing to change a registry setting in a windows deployment. If that isn't tangential muddying of the waters, what is? I want to discuss things to derive truth but my conversational partner just wants to force the Microsoft == bad equation. THAT is arguing in poor faith and not being interested in the conversation and the revelation of truth. That is forcing a pre-destined conclusion on the conversation and a requirement for re-checking of self.

My argument is merely that there _is_ a difference. Its been over twenty years, surely the passage of time generates _some_ difference. My position is far from radical nor am I excusing Microsoft from anything but merely stating they have a more positive stance on OSS today than they did during the Gates era.

No, the quality of the toolchain is emblematic of their attitudes towards FOSS. There is a difference, totally, their sinking ship needs a little help to stay afloat and OSS is that buoy IMO.

sounds to me like you've already made your mind up about everything about them. You're not commenting, you're soap boxing.