According to one poll, which involved thousands of votes, Microsoft has tactlessly alienated too many of its own customers. It bought itself some new enemies, who will deploy more of Linux, not less.

The vast majority of respondents, some 54 percent, indicate that they would prefer to increase their use of Linux -- and decrease their us of Windows, as a result of Microsoft's patent pleadings.

It almost seems as though they do this for spite. Admittedly, this poll could be biased because the readership has certain inclinations. Regardless, this voice is echoed elsewhere, even in major publications such as InformationWeek.

Customers, meantime, hate getting pulled into this game. Microsoft is "out to strong-arm other companies," says Eric Simon, VP of IT at Brookfield Homes, a California-based home builder that uses both Windows and Linux. "Shame on Microsoft for trying to squelch innovation," says an IT director who requested anonymity.

The FUD campaigns may have gone too far this time. There were not subtle and they earned Microsoft a muchly-deserved "bully" status. Rather than be victorious, the attacker exposed a weakness. It will have many reasons to regret this too, as I'll show in the next post. The malicious plan essentially backfired.

The same type of attitude, which involves iron fist raids, may have just cost a lot in India. Are we seeing India's BoycottMicrosoft in the making?

The resellers have also planned boycotts against Microsoft. Those participating in the strike agreed to stop all purchases of Microsoft products for this quarter.