Utterly unfair comparison. The Apple and Microsoft business models are so unlike each other it's almost inaccurate to say they're in the same business. Apple can get product quality to the point they do because they laser focus on a few profitable segments. Microsoft's business model --- not "what Steve Ballmer thinks they should be doing this month" but their underlying business model --- involves them serving 80+% of the market.

This is sort of like complaining that Safeway can't make ice cream as well as Ben and Jerry's.

If Gates had maintained a dictatorial death grip on his company like Steve Jobs has, MS probably could have made some decent products.

It's one thing to yell at the people who made this system via email. It's quite another to never allow them to ship it in the first place.

Microsoft has made a bunch of very good products:

- Windows 3.0 and 3.1 clearly hit exactly the sweet spot between DOS and OS/2

- Word and Excel were legitimately better than the competition (and still are, although there is not much competition left).

- Internet Explorer 4 was so much better than Netscape 3 and 4 that it wasn't even funny

- Windows 2000 and XP were very good operating systems

Next week on Daring Fireball: Why Ping is much smarter than you think and will prove the naysayers wrong.

As always - Please indicate whether telecommuting is an option or you require employees be located in a specific city.