Check out this rather remarkable example of corporate self-flagellation at Microsoft. Port 25 is a new blog launched by the open source development group within Microsoft (there really is one, though less than 10 people). The director of the group, Bill Hilf, posted an introduction on March 28 and explained what the blog was all about. He invited comments and that’s surely what he got: over 400 comments in two weeks.

Many of the comments are the usual venomous anti-MS spew by Linux zealots. Why these people think they’re advancing their cause through name-calling and insults is beyond me. Anyway, they rage away on this blog and Microsoft just lets it all sit there for the world to see.

If you had told me five years ago that corporations would invite their worst critics to insult them and then publish the insults on the corporate websites, I never would have believed it. But there it is.

Also note Microsoft’s response to the critics. It’s calm and reasoned and not at all defensive. Good move. Not the comments following the response. They’re much more reasonable, too. BTW, Sam should really identify himself. We have no idea who this Microsoft guy is other than he looks good in a bike helmet.