Apple has one. So does Java, Oracle, IBM and Google. Lord knows anyone who uses Linux or free and open source software is dedicated to spreading the gospel of St. Linus Torvalds and St. Richard Stallman but does anyone really worship the Gods of Redmond?
I was chatting with some random guy I met on the plane to Chicago this morning from Sun Micro who commented that Microsoft’s problem these days is that it doesn’t have a passionate user/developer base.
The theory is that while Microsoft certainly owns the majority of user systems, no one seems to really be evangelical about its software: Windows Vista, Office, Visual Studio, SharePoint, SQL Server and certainly not IE.
The same thing goes for Microsoft’s hardware. Where are the legions of Zune users? Xbox may be the closest thing Microsoft has to a fanatical fan base but I’m pretty sure the lines were just as long for the PS3 and the Wii.
Think about it. When was the last time an editor was fired because of a scathing article entitled, “10 Things We Hate About Microsoft?”
When was the last time a group of developers stood up at a VS Live show and shouted “Yea, man! Orcas Rocks! Language Integrated Query is da’ Bomb! New and improved ADO.Net? Oh, no you didn’t!” It just doesn’t happen.
Conversely, how many e-mails have you received (or written) because someone bashed your favorite operating system or software application? Chances are that you were defending something that wasn’t made or acquired by Microsoft.
So my question is this:
Does the largest software vendor in the world have people who are actually excited by its products and drive themselves into a frenzy when the latest version comes out?
August 20th, 2008
5 Comments at "Why Doesn’t Microsoft Have A Cult Religion?"
I agree, Sean, that the only thing that Microsoft has going for them, fan wise, is the Xbox. People were somewhat excited about Windows Vista, but the lines weren’t around the building the night before it’s release, were they?
I like Windows a lot, but then again, the only other OS I’ve had was Fedora Core 6. I waited in anticipation for the Zune, which is great, until you start the software. Perhaps that is why Microsoft doesn’t have a cult following; half of it you adore, and the other half you loath.
“Does the largest software vendor in the world have people who are actually excited by its products and drive themselves into a frenzy when the latest version comes out?”
I think the fact that they are the largest software vendor in the world is the very reason they don’t have a cult following. That type of fanaticism is almost always reserved for smaller niche groups.
I would venture to guess that most people who drive a Ford Escort aren’t especially passionate about their vehicle. On the other hand, someone who drives a Mini Cooper or an Aston Martin is likely to talk your ear off telling you how much they love their car.
Most of this passion and excitement comes from the knowledge that you are more unique than the next guy - you don’t drive the same kind of car as everyone else, or you don’t use the same operating system as everyone else.
Driving a Ford Escort just isn’t quite the same as driving a Mini Cooper - just as using Windows isn’t quite the same as using OS X or Linux.
If they had anything exciting, they’d have devoted fans. Microsoft represents boring mediocrity. They aren’t excited about what they do, so why should anyone else be.
I think that part of Microsofts is BEING so big.
And also i think it’s partially due to their utter lack of compassion shown to users — have you ever heard of Apple’s OS-X telling customers that not only do they need to verify their legal right to use their operating system, but then on top of that telling some people who have legitimately purchased the software that they didn’t?? That’s just downright rude, but Microsoft doesn’t seem to notice or care about that.
Last time I can remember anything like real “buzz” surrounding the release of an MS product was Windows 95. That was a real geekfest. Of course, MS and Bill Gates wasn’t the undisputed master of the universe back then. It was big, but not that big.
One just needs to look at what a letdown 95 (and 98 and ME and XP) have been to understand why they don’t have any true fans left. Most people grudgingly settle for MS products because everyone else uses them and because they don’t want to learn something new.
If you’re going to be a fan of something, it has to be sexy and cool. MS is about as cool as your grandma’s old Bonneville.
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