Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!bdmrrr!davis
From: davis@bdmrrr.bdm.com (Arthur Davis x4675)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Word 4.0/Script Manager * CONTAINS FLAMES *
Summary: Microsoft and American Programmers
Message-ID: <1112@bdmrrr.bdm.com>
Date: 19 Jun 89 04:48:25 GMT
References: <19435@cup.portal.com> <1190@draken.nada.kth.se>
Organization: BDM Corp., McLean, Virginia
Lines: 42

In article <1190@draken.nada.kth.se>, d88-jwa@nada.kth.se (Jon W{tte) writes:
> In article <19435@cup.portal.com> Mike_G_Newman@cup.portal.com writes:
> >Why is Word 4.0 not compatible with the Script Manager?  I was really
> 
> #define _FLAME_
> 
> Because Word 4.0 is writen by Microsoft, and Microsoft
> 
>         a) Do as they damn well please, with no regard of system
>            specs (They'll break on Sys 7.0, wanna bet ?)
> 
>         b) Are Americans, which mean that they have no understanding
>            whatsoever of anything else than dollars, inches and MM-DD-YY
>            format of dates. (I have certain opinions about American
>            programmers after being extensively flamed last time I
>            wrote something like this. One guy said: "Just because you
>            don't use standard notation (meaning USA notation of date,
>            which is quite uncommon outside that 1% of the earths surface)
>            is no cause for me to add 4 lines of code each time I write
>            a date routine ..." Pity !)
> 

I have no problem with your complaints against Microsoft, and there are
certainly many examples of American arrogance, but I do object to what
seems to be a rather universal condemnation of all American programmers.
I am sure you have a vast statistical sampling population on which you
are basing your accusation.  Surely you must also have a wealth of data
at your command as to how many of Microsoft's programmers actually are
Americans.  Indeed, such an insular, arrogant organization would never
allow any "dangerous aliens" to work for them.

You are aware, I hope, that the Script Manager which you are lobbying
for Microsoft to be compatible with, was likely written in large part
by <gasp!> American programmers?  Maybe the occasional "dangerous 
alien" on the side.  Or do you perhaps have information that the
International localizing aspects of Apple System Software is due to
a secret conspiracy of enlightened Swedish programmers working
undercover?  That would be somewhat difficult to believe.  It would
be easy to spot a group of blond, tennis-playing socialists who
write their dates funny.

Or have I perhaps over-generalized a bit there?