[shawn-butler]

Clearly you have never been responsible for managing a brand or a brand identity.

It isn't about "idiots" or stupid "manufactured outrage"

This is HN; if you are going to invest your time in creating a business the last thing you want to do is blow your market opportunity by associating your brand with something as dumb as penis pics and nazis.

Is it manufactured outrage that Microsoft paid dancers in schoolgirl outfits at GDC? Maybe, but it's irrelevant.

Don't mess up your brand. I have no idea what Microsoft is doing right now. It's like a company going through the equivalent of mid-life crisis trying desperately to be "cool".