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.

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.

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.

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.