This was a short essay by a Microsoft developer that sought to lay out the threats posed to Microsoft by free software and identified strategies to counter these perceived threats.

IBM developers complained about the terseness and lack of comments in Microsoft's code, while Microsoft developers complained that IBM's code was bloated.

Mr. Kempin said Microsoft developers believed that computer makers were "butchering Windows" with their modifications.

The ability to run or port desktop applications compatible with previous versions of Windows is not offered, since Microsoft developers felt that they would not be properly optimized for the platform.

The family registration system was developed in a 24-hour programming push by 16 Microsoft developers in Redmond, Wash., which started with a proverbial pizza run on Friday night.

The new tablet project is small by Microsoft standards, said another Microsoft developer who spoke on condition that he not be identified.

The fix was posted today on the Microsoft developers' Web site.

"I would prefer that it simply embrace the principle that competitors will get equal treatment with the Microsoft developers making software products that run on Windows," the person said.

A very senior Microsoft developer who moved to Google told me that Google works and thinks at a higher level of abstraction than Microsoft.

Microsoft developers were visibly uncomfortable when Metasploit was demonstrated.