The iPhone has definitely accumulated a lot of news. It is getting old. Even for me and I'm one who likes the iPhone.
So it's somewhat to be expected to see some pushback on yet another iPhone story. That's definitely the case for this iPhone listing on Digg which points to a photo taken at iPhoneDevCamp of the various attendees. Yeah, not much of a story. And, yeah, it's about the iPhone.
But what's really gotten to me are the many negative comments on this posting. Actually, it's not just the negative attitude. It's who's saying some of these things.
What do I mean? The commenters are all anonymous right? Yes. But they do have a point of view, and a quick check of the previous stories they've dug shows a trend that makes me uneasy--many of them appear to be posters that are actually quite favorable to Microsoft and its products. And several of them appear to be taking every chance they get to equally jab at the iPhone and Apple.
Of course attacking a competitor is nothing new. If you've worked with Microsoft technologies you get poked and prodded quite a bit. It comes with the territory. Lots of people don't like Microsoft, and they'll tell you about it every chance they get.
I've gotten "used" to the attacks in this direction--well, pretty much. I know quite a few previously employed Motorola engineers here in the Phoenix area and boy do many of them rant and rave about Microsoft. Makes sense though--many of them worked on projects that didn't do so well in the long run against Microsoft's efforts. Of course, there's more to the story, but for many--especially in a social setting--it's an acceptable sport to take swipes at Microsoft or anyone working with Microsoft technologies. I don't take much of this too seriously though, because after a good ribbing at lunch or wherever, they head back to their cubicles and work away on their Windows-based machines. (Though some use Linux. Very few use Apple equipment, although a couple have them at home.)
Anyway, after looking through some of the commenters on Digg, I see that there's a pretty vocal group of people swinging the other direction. They appear to be owners or advocates of Zunes or Windows Vista or some other Microsoft products and then also jumping at the chance at saying "enough iPhone already." Just to be clear, I'm cleaning up the language--some of it's pretty lockerroom trollish.
Here's the thing. Like I've done over the years, I'll try my best to think things through and not get too caught up in the technological flavor of the day. And, yes, there's been many of them over the years. I know I'll get it wrong sometimes. I do. But I'm pretty comfortable in the fact that I've done a pretty good job of not getting too tied up in technologies that are more marketing over substance and yet not also miss out on new technologies that are becoming more practical with time.
Anyway, I know the diggers aren't going to change their tune, but I guess this post is a way of saying that at least for me, some of these pro-Microsoft advocates are expending their credibility when attacking others. It may seem like the greatest idea right now--in the heat of the moment. But think long term. Is this the position you really want to take and defend--adamantly--for a year? Two years? Five?


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