A humorous tweet by Merill Fernando, a senior executive at Microsoft, sparked widespread interest among tech enthusiasts and industry observers. In his post, he reflected on his experience with Apple’s macOS, suggesting it offered a superior experience compared to Windows 11. Fernando playfully remarked, “If Ballmer was CEO, I’d be fired for this tweet, ” hinting at the potential backlash from making such a statement publicly.
Me going back to macOS after being forced to spend an hour on Windows pic.twitter.com/lXwJibVjWb
— Merill Fernando (@merill) April 20, 2025
The tweet featured a lighthearted meme, drawing upon a viral photo of Katy Perry joyously kissing the ground after her recent space adventure, embodying a sense of relief. While Fernando’s tweet was intended as a joke, its humorous tone did not go unnoticed, accumulating over 700, 000 views and more than 11, 000 likes, demonstrating the impact of social media in today’s digital landscape.
As his tweet gained traction, Fernando elaborated on his personalized workstation setup. He shared that he utilizes a company-issued MacBook for work purposes, with the option to choose between a Mac or a Windows device. For his personal projects, including podcasts and newsletters, he relies on a more powerful Mac Studio.
This is how my desktop looks like. I avoid doing personal things on my work laptop and use Mac Studio for my podcast, newsletter, and other open-source projects.pic.twitter.com/LoJ2JwuQx8
— Merill Fernando (@merill) April 21, 2025
Fernando further explained how he effectively navigates between platforms, using Microsoft services such as DevBox through the Windows App for macOS. When Windows applications are necessary, he employs Parallels to manage virtual machines—showcasing a thoughtful approach to integrating tools from both Apple and Microsoft.
To enhance his productivity, he mentioned using Raycast, which aids in seamlessly transitioning between applications like Teams, Outlook, VSCode, and Terminal, all with customized key remapping. For web browsing, he employs a dual approach; Microsoft Edge for work-related tasks and Arc for his personal browsing time.
This candid sharing from a prominent figure at Microsoft not only sheds light on his personal preferences within a rival ecosystem but also highlights the ongoing conversations about productivity tools and operating systems in the tech community. Fernando’s insights resonate with many professionals who navigate the complexities of utilizing various platforms in their daily workflows.
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