Will the real Mike Cox please stand up?
If you've ever joined a talkback discussion on ZDNet blogs, you've probably encountered Mike Cox. On the subject of Microsoft, the ubiquitous and presumably pseudonymous Mr. Cox is rarely at a loss for words.
But who is this guy? Does Mike Cox head the IT department at a mid-sized company? Maybe. Does he run a very tight Microsoft-only shop. Probably not. Is he putting us on? Well...this Microsoft apologist has been duking it out with Redmond detractors in our ZDNet talkback forums for years.
We can always count on Mike Cox, tongue planted precariously in cheek, to comment freely and forcefully on any of a number of topics...
On Windows vs Linux: Linux is awkward and clunky, the realm of green-screen types who do not respect software engineering. Windows embodies all that is right with IT and, in a larger sense, the civilized world. The elegance and refinement of the Windows OS makes me and my rep aghast with complete SHOCK AND AWE. My rep and I toasted to Windows tonight over dinner...[read more]
Securing Vista: The key thing was to disable the network cards (both wireless and wired) and to set local policies to disallow removable USB drives. We also removed the CD/DVD writer drive. The machine was now completely locked down...[read more]
Google vs Microsoft: Google is finished. Microsoft's balance sheet is the ultimate weapon of mass destruction in the IT field... The only thing that will keep the United States at the forefront of technology is continual support of Windows technologies like One Note...[read more]
Dell's Ubuntu-powered desktops: Dell was wasting too much time with Linux and was making my rep and I angry. What a shame that on a weekend where we celebrate patriotism we need to deal with Linux PCs from Dell...[read more]
Zune: The Zune juggernaut is slowly eroding the *pod culture. ...[read more]
Vista Service Pack: We received pre-alpha bits of Vista SP1. I made an immediate decision to deploy, and deploy without prejudice. I have named the project WOW NOW SP1 and have mandated all MCSEs stay night and day until it is deployed...[read more]
Vista activation: My rep and I spent yesterday discussing an even more aggressive activation strategy. My rep mentioned something about tying Windows product IDs to a driver's license and credit card. So that if someone were to illegally transfer Vista to another PC they bought, their charge card would be hit for a license and the DMV would be notified....[read more]
Microsoft Office bloat: I gave my rep some more Office features I want. One is a way to do a PowerPoint while in Groove, click on a button in Groove and have Excel launch and gather data from the PowerPoint to create a chart which will then paste itself into Word and then send an email via Outlook and then have Groove announce the mail was sent. My rep offered to send MCS onsite to do some "custom code" for this...[read more]
Hiring MCSEs: Quality people are tough to find. I interview hundreds of MCSEs a month and it is very difficult to find the right balance of technical gurus who are willing to work 100 hours a week...[read more]
On Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn Comparing Ubuntu to Vista is not acceptable. Did you say WOW when you installed Ubuntu? Each and every time I reinstall Vista on my notebook I say WOW. I say WOW every single time I click an icon and wait for the OS to respond. Ubuntu is a scourge on the planet and is a risk to the IT ecosystem because it is insecure and not fully integrated with ISA Server for security purposes!...[read more]
Windows XP: I don't understand why anyone would want to run windows XP anymore. It is a legacy operating system...[read more]
At Starbucks somewhere, over scones and lattes, Mike and his rep are plotting their next move...