Es una introspección a la vida de un programador cualquiera. El hecho de que se traten de programadores en Microsoft lo hace más interesante.

Dan escribe en su diario lo que le sucede en el ambiente empresarial, en la comodidad del campus, la histeria de sus amigos con quienes comparte una casa y deja ver el geek que todos llevan, la relación con su novia desde que la conoce en Microsoft, como su padre ha sido despedido de IBM y la gran oportunidad que se presenta de iniciar su propia empresa en compañía de sus amigos. Son esas situaciones que hacen muy identificables las situaciones por las que podría pasar cualquier programador. Los miedos en la vida laboral, inseguridades personales, y esa pasión por la tecnología, por programar que hace muy rico el libro. Las referencias a otras empresas como Apple, Xerox, etc. o a otras tecnologías emergentes (¡la supercarretera de la información!) lo hacen ver más real.

Todo sucede en un ambiente de 1993 a 1995 en un mundo pre-Windows y pre-iMac lo que deja ver ese mundo de una manera realista aunque lo importante es la vida de Dan y como se desenvuelve en él.

I found about the first hundred pages of Microserfs amusing, and then it was more of the same, and more of the same, and yet more of the same. I do not know what the entire middle of the book was for. Perhaps for character development; but the characters never struck me as anything more than cardboard (perhaps they were just too realistically boring). The twist at the end was good, but after being bored for a couple hundred pages, I was just glad to be done with this.

I probably would have actually enjoyed this book, with some heavy editing.

“Microserfs” had good ideas and was stylistically interesting, but it really didn’t go anywhere. Scarlett Thomas (of “Popco” fame) writes in a similar style but she adds compelling plots to her novels which make them ever so much more interesting and fun to read.

Interesting as a period piece, and comes off as charmingly dated to someone who has grown up in and with the internet world that was gestating when it was written. Continues Coupland’s preoccupation with the confusing role/neglect of bodies in an increasingly virtual and disembodied existence, which is interesting to me as I’ve noticed this in my own life and behavior too, but sadly, his ideas about this are not fleshed out enough to be really satisfying. He’s good at pointing out novel cultural and lifestyle trends and building stories around them, but not so good at having anything much innovative to say about them in the end.

i’ve read and re-read this book so many times that now, when i pick it up again, it not only carries me back to the early 90s when email was novel and the internet bubble was just a twinkle in our eye, but also reminds me of each of the times i read the book. i first read the short story version that was published in “wired” magazine on the drive from albuquerque to the grand canyon. i once read it on a plane bound for seattle on my (one and only) trip to “the campus”. i was able to locate microsoft behind its tangle on trees only because of coupland’s description of the green tinted glass buildings. “microserfs” is now a part of my personal history, a place that i can visit to remind me of where i have been and how much our world has changed in such a small space of time.

An most insightful & entertaining look into the trenches at the software company everybody loves to hate.

Great fun. Many surprisingly accurate descriptions/insights into the world that I inhabit. I hope i’m the smart generalist that every good start up needs ;)

Romanticize the geeks and they shall love yee.

This one is a classic and one of those few “laughing out loud in public” books. I couldn’t put it down and completely loved all the characters. A must have for any serious reader!

I can’t think of anyone whose writing has been more relevant in the way I think about my own life than Douglas Coupland. Plus he designs novelty furniture!

I’m done with this one. It was quite good and the end was surprisingly moving, in a geeky sort of way.