Dave Winer has often criticized Microsoft, so in my mind the following quote really shows how far the industry has come since the heights of Microsoft-bashing.

Consumers and businesses were reluctant to use Passport as a sort of gatekeeper, and competitors soon developed an alternative approach to verifying online identity. …

But Passport is less of a concern now that Microsoft is no longer perceived as "the evil empire," said Dave Winer, a software developer whose work on Web standards helped build a foundation for Microsoft’s new services.

"Google is more the evil empire now," Winer said. "Microsoft represents the opportunity for a two-party system."

- The Seattle Times: Business & Technology: Microsoft makes splash with big plunge into Web

I continue to be amused at how black and white these many-hued issues are presented.  And it’s still fun to see the undeserved mantle passed to another (equally undeserving) company.