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.