[locusofself]

It's true. As a matter of fact I credit a lot of my career to being made fun of on IRC in the 1990s for running mIRC client for Windows, because you were not "leet" if you didn't run Linux or FreeBSD, which took my down a huge rabbit-hole of Linux and coding for many years, which is how I know anything in the first place. I'm in the tiny minority of people in big tech who didn't go to college.

The bashing on MSFT has really ramped up in the last 6 months though

[jonfw]

Rather than saying that microsoft bashing has ramped up, I'd say that it is getting closer to it's standard levels.

Microsoft experience a sort of reputational resurgence in the tech world these past few years with some commitment to open source contribution and a really nice pivot towards linux and cloud.

Their pivot to AI is much less popular!

[locusofself]

The AI stuff and Windows 11 have been big drivers of bashing

[zapzupnz]

The Xbox division, too, if you pay attention to the gaming world. Then again, never pay attention to gamers. They just like to moan for sport.

If moaning were DLC, they'd get a monthly subscription.

[therein]

Yes and you're in a unique position to influence the internal culture. Not saying send emails to executives but talk about things during lunch with coworkers?

[zapzupnz]

Ah, is that not going to college part why you're loathe to give up such a good gig? Surely by now your CV speaks for itself, although I suppose in Redmond, where else are you going to go.

[locusofself]

It is, although considering my age (41), I would hope the college thing is not very important anymore. The only time in recent history that I've been ghosted after mentioning no degree (when asked) is ByteDance a few years back, and I don't think I'd want to work there anyways.

Google has offices in Kirkland. Amazon and Meta are big employers here, with Meta paying the best, but both of those companies have their own issues which are probably worse than just being made fun of ..