Yet another reason for hating on Microsoft: NTLM. Specifically, that some folks insist on running SOAP services protected by NTLM. More particularly, SOAP services that are intended to be consumed by platforms other than Windows. And especially that no cross-platform scripting or programming language has native support for NTLM. With the coup de grace being that all of this sits on the corporate LAN–ostensibly shielded from those who would attack it by the full force of $COMPANY’s firewall.

So do I hate Microsoft or just the people who want to impose Microsoftian $FOO on an internal, polycultural ecosystem? Given that it is Monday and that the office is running at half capacity I’ll be generous and hate them both with equal fervor.

Oh, and by the way: Microsoft officially no longer supports NTLM because it is easily spoofed. So there’s that too.