Enough with opinion. Youre making this about good v evil, MS v Linux, like v dislike etc. I couldnt care less if MS was the worst product on the market. Im not sure what you were doing when a PC required DOS, and you had type line commands, or how the industry was and how it had limited appeal to end users. Specific people bought PCs, I know I was building and selling them then. But when MS created Windows, it was THE REVOLUTION, everyone wanted it. MS didnt do anything except offer a product that appealed to the masses, and made the most of that. Even back then there was OS2 as the alternative and it was great for those that were into it, not great for those that just want the PC to work like any other white good. The anti MS brigade has existed for as long as I can remember. MS still made the PC a user friendly experience, and by that Im referring to most people, people that call the tech guy whenever there is any problem, not start diagnostics themselves.
Cornered the market, maintained their grasp, sure and why shouldnt they? The only difference between MS and any other business, is how quickly it rose and everyone wanted to hear about it and talk about it, kicking themselves they didnt have shares when MS was a start up. And here we are.
Of course Ive heard the cases, one involving Exploder for a start. The nature of MS business practice is std practice for all successful businesses, its just not as public. How can you not know this is an example of Tall Poppy Syndrome. Just because an era ends, is hardly grounds to crow about how they failed. Youre here talking about how many people are leaving MS products, proof in itself how successful they have been. Maybe its over for them, they still one of the greatest success stories EVER.