i like the cut of your jib...

What fun!

But you're all .NET and Windows geeks and don't tolerate those that are different (e.g. Java geeks).

Neil -

That isn't actually true (at least in my case).

In fact, had you been at the dinner, you would have heard me talk about my Linux installs at home.

Plus, before .NET came along, Java was (by a longshot) my favorite dev platform, and I'm still involved with some Java projects. It's just that .NET has really blown me away, and it interests me more than Java - This is just a preference, and I'm not saying that Java is bad. I *like* Java. I just don't like it as much as I like .NET.

I know I sound intolerant, but I'm not really. I *am* critical, and I do hate Java app servers. I've mentioned my Java app server hatred here before, and I'm guessing that that's where you're getting the idea that I don't like Java.

Anyway, I can't speak for the other dinner attendees, but I run Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X at home, side by side, and use them all regularly. I just find that I have more to say about Windows/.NET right now because it's my current platform of choice.

I even mix my interests - As soon as Rotor was available for OS X, I grabbed it, built it, and loved it.

I'm very platform/language agnostic - I let the one that appeals to me the most *make my choice for me*. If Sun suddenly came out with something that blew .NET out of the water, *I'd switch*.

That said, I'll admit that I really like MS "the company." I've met tons of really cool people who work for/with MS. People can say whatever they want about MS, but I've made some good friends there, and have no problem disclosing the fact that I think it's a great place.

Yup, yup, yup :)

Rory: Cheryl and I enjoyed your recap of the evening, but she says you need to include a cartoon of Chris' friend swallowing the cownut -- she suggests a stick figure with a circular lump in its throat. :-)

That sounds awesome - A stick figure with a stick testicle stuck in his stick throat.

People think that stick figure drawing is "easy" and "stupid," but they don't realize the work it takes to depict certain scenes, such as those that might exist in more than two dimensions.

Stick figure artists don't get any respect, so I humbly thank Cheryl for her suggestion, as it is obviously recognition that *I* am an *artist*.

However, I'm afraid that I cannot comply. To draw a stick testicle stuck in a stick throat would require incredible concentration, and I would probably wind up focusing more on the concept of eating stick testicles than I'd like, after about five minutes of which I would probably stick throw-up all over the place, so I'm going to have to be a stick in the mud and say "no" :)

Portland Nerd Dinner #2 - revisited...