Great sites, Bill. Thanks.

I confess that I don't get so excited about quality problems and market domination by Microsoft. I see them as just another company trying, like all companies, to dominate their markets. This tendance is in the nature of the system. I'd like to help improve the system but it's hard to single out a single company for doing a better job of playing by “the rules.” Note that &ldauo;rules” in this case aren't necessarily the same thing as laws.

Microsoft makes a lot of great software. I can't see any reason to avoid it out of spite. I do however avoid or suplement Microsoft products whenever their product is inadequate, seriously flawed or dangerous to use. I take the same view toward the products of any other supplier as well.

Now if there were no alternatives to Microsoft products from which to choose, that would be a bad thing.

Americans tend to pick a company and doggedly stay with their products no matter what. Some people buy only GM autos, some only Ford—even though both companies have made seriously flawed products. Some people buy only Microsoft... it's a funny world.

      - Mark