As a side note they're also jerks. But yeah in History class we were talking about Monopolies and Microsoft came up and the history teach was like who knows computers in here, and the one jerk-kid raised his hand. And my teacher was askng him why people got microsoft and he was saying because it's better and so on... I really just wanted to start laughing. Like people buy it because 'it's better' they buy it because it's the only name they know, thus them having a monopoly.
Because at ONE POINT they were better, or at least more marketable, but now they are so entrenched in OEM licensing that they have become a monopoly. Its hard to even BUY a pc without paying your M$ tax, even if all you plan to do with it is format it and load a better OS!
Oh yeah, back in the ol' day of 98 and before they were rockin'. They were worth what you paid, but now they are not. They have one because that's the only computer name most 'regular' computer users know. Just a little less knows of Apple, and fewer know of Linux. And the fact that Windows XP home is like $200 (it may be more or less, not sure...nice round figure) and a basic Linux version is $0. People pay the $200 because it's all they know. In the 90s Mac was only really found in schools, and barely anyone with children knew who they were.
I agree with you -- that microsoft has some shady practices, but other comps are available... I'm on a MAC right now.. One of the big legal issues that help M$ dominate the market was the integration of IE into their operating system.
Let's put it THIS way. "Windows 98 SE" was that latest version of Windows that DIDN'T have security holes. Now, they just want to sell "Windows". They don't give a shit about us, or our machines anymore. Once upon a time, when you bought a new computer, it came with a System Restore CD. NOW, they cost extra. They'll be sued again next month by someone on the planet...
There is no version of windows that didn't have major security holes. They are all well documented. If security is your primary concern, openBSD has the best "out of install" security of any OS. If you're willing to work, most any *n?x operating system can be tighter than a 16 year old virgin with an iron chastity belt in the middle ages.