I don't think I'd be out of line to say that most of the Java community is adamantly anti-Microsoft. Microsoft is a big evil corporation that does Bad Things™ and the .NET platform is inferior because of this.

I used to write Java; it was, at the time, a good career progression from the C++ work I was doing. I still know tons of Java developers and I've even defended Java as having its merits (and taken a beating for it) to some MSFT folks. The sheer childishness of some people on both sides in regards to trashing the other platform is funny sometimes but most often sad. Technology platform may as well join Religion and Politics as things you don't discuss among friends.

Many times, I've tried to tell a friend about a feature of the .NET platform that is so cool it makes me want to break into song, like designer support. After all this feature is very Component Engineering friendly, and should be a big turn-on to the average Java dude. However, their ears are sealed because MSFT made it. Your loss, my friends.

Despite not being a .NET developer John Carmack is my hero. Technology is his life and despite being a huge fan of LINUX and OpenGL and various non-Microsoft platforms he is 100% fair in his statements. You could say he's equally critical of everything. I respect the fact that despite not being a big MSFT fan Carmack uses Visual Studio to develop because he feels it is without compare as a tool for any serious developer.

On his blog, he finally changed to blogging from .plan updates, he recently described his experiences working with Java. He talks about the woefull inadequecies of the platform where performance is concerned and comes right out and says "Write once and run anywhere" is a joke, especially for mobile platforms. Being a bit of a mobile developer myself, I appreciated his comments. Check them out here.