2015: The year that Microsoft started getting the benefit of the doubt
This focus on the positives represents a shift in perception of the company. It's not a product of any one thing; as cool as HoloLens is, there's a broader backdrop: the greater openness to creating software for other platforms, the greater embrace of open source, the more communicative Windows 10 development process. These all add up.
The optimism has its limits, and Microsoft certainly has to prove that it was warranted. The release of HoloLens development units next year will be significant; if it goes well, it should reinforce the belief that Microsoft really can do bold, innovative new things and that the company is still one that can shape our future. It will take a long time for Microsoft to build an image and perception that's as resiliently positive as Apple's. Nonetheless, that people are willing to give the company the benefit of the doubt makes 2015 a special year. Microsoft is changing—and so are we.
See the full story here: http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/12/2015-the-year-that-microsoft-started-getting-the-benefit-of-the-doubt/