Hmmm ... the comment doesn't criticize or even mention Ballmer at all; it was only about the website. I don't think we should be granting some projects special status, above criticism, and we never have (with the possible exception of the exalted one, Elon Musk). For example, plenty of FLOSS developers have sacrificed far more than Ballmer - Theo de Raadt has given his entire career and put his entire reputation on the line, as one immediate example - and their projects are criticized all the time.

In fact, shielding the projects from criticism is a disservice to the project.

I'll say that one could read an undercurrent of jealously into it, but that is strictly between the lines and could easily be in the eye of the beholder.

> I really don't see how dandare's criticisms ... [are] at all helpful or relevant

That seems like an unhelpful stretch.