Comment by crispyambulance

"Feigned incredulity" can be every bit as caustic as outright hostility.

It's all a matter of perception and context, of course. And though you say there's only one way to interpret it, even you describe it as a continuum.

Sadly, this is all just a sad missed opportunity.

MS could have been less defensive and more open to possible solutions. The genius programmer could have slowed his roll a bit and could have been more collaborative.