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Came back from the tour yesterday with a Microsoft optical mouse, the Microsoft Encarta DVD of reference materials, and a Microsoft coffee mug. Christi of course had to ask the question, “I thought you really didn’t like Microsoft?”

It’s a good question. I mean while I do use MS Windows at work, I tend to stick to the Linux operation system at home. Still it isn’t hard to be impressed with the institution that is Microsoft. The campus is enormous. Bethany, who works in benefits, explained that they have more than 36,000 employees in the U.S. If you include their international subsidiaries we’re talking somewhere over 52,000 employees.

There are buildings devoted to Microsoft Network, buildings devoted to their gaming division, buildings devoted to office application development, buildings devoted to their Xbox home gaming console. I think their WebTV division is based in California. At a certain point while taking this all in, you really do get the impression that Microsoft could take over the world. When you walk into the employee store, you see all the software and hardware Microsoft offers and you see all the clothing carrying their logo, and suddenly it becomes apparent that Microsoft is pushing for products in diverse markets. It’s not just about computers anymore.

I’ve been working on some proposals for the University which talk about how the computer science department at UNL is exploring the idea of pervasive computing—computing so ubiquitous that you don’t even realize you’re using it. What I realized yesterday is that Microsoft is probably the company that is making this idea a reality. Instead of pervasive computing, though, it is more like pervasive Microsoft.

Do I admire the company? Who wouldn’t when presented with the breadth of what they are doing. Do I trust that as a company it will always do the right thing for the computer user? No. One of the most interesting things to me was when I asked Bethany if each project team knew what other teams were working on. She said they didn’t—that it was something they were working on.

I think Microsoft serves a purpose and will continue to serve a purpose. Still, I will continue to enjoy getting my hands dirty trying to get Linux to do everything I want it to do. Computers are still not easy enough for the vast majority of the public. Microsoft might eventually change that but not without competition from the likes of Linux and Apple and Sun.