Not sure if you have heard of their gaming appliances.... the Xbox and KINECT.....

End of the day Microsoft have been late to market on some key trends (going back as far as missing the early internet days). However the speed they have been able to catch back up to the market has been astounding. I would include their dedicated gaming tech as an example of this. The question is can they continue to do this in the future?

There is also a lot of Apple comparisons in the comments, and it should be realised that while the Apple share price has grown, they came back from a fairly low base. Ten years ago it was concievable that they were going under.

Microsoft is still a reasonable stock to have in your portfolio, I just wouldn't have it as your only stock.

OK... I've used this 6 times so far and everytime it has worked first time. I like it as a system (although it is confusing for elderly or tech illerate people). Basically you just have to print your own boarding card and then drop your bag on a conveyor belt.

Checking in with bags now takes 2-3 minutes. I am not sure why the jar in the test did not scan, but it was a pity it was done with one sample only (a small object). With a normal sized suit bag it has worked for me first time all 6 times I have tried and most importantly the luggage has been at the other end each time when I arrived.

Even in Aus we have more then one provider.....

I worked for a large department store in Australia. During training we were taught that of "shrinkage" (stock missing without a sale), the following was true:
- 20% was due to damage of goods
- 40% external theft
- 40% internal staff theft

Now that was stock and not cash from the tills, so if you add cash to the stock the parent might not be that far off. Plus this was in a large store where you where constantly surrounded by other people.

Fair enough for you, but I would rather live doing something meaningful. Raising my children.

What you really need (I'm not American) is a preferential voting system. You will never get another party in a first-past-the-post system.

The issue here is that this law is not normally used to cover the theft of a house (in fact this is the first time it has happened in Australia). Imagine if this was a car, someone buys it (innocently) and uses it for 2 years.

Would you prefer the car back after two years of use, or the value of it when it was stolen?

This is a pretty unusual case and as we know the law is one size fits all.

Not if a reasonable man would have suspected it was stolen. This law protects the innocent, such as this case, someone who purchased a house through a legitimate real estate agent.

If you buy a DVD player from the back of a pub and it turns out to be stolen, then you have to give it back and would be lucky not to be charged with being in reciept of stolen goods.

This does, although I am still not sure how the scammers got hold of the original certificate of title. Here in WA this is still a piece of paper and the settlement agent must have it to complete the transaction.

It can be replaced although it is extremely difficult to do so (trust me, I lost one).

All smothering.....

No seriously I think the "bloodless coup" bit was more a statement of disappointment that we did not thin out the political gene pool a bit with a few lynchings.

While I like to think of myself as being a open minded as the next person, I do not believe that equality should extended to the head of government.

Right now I am sure the other countries are laughing at our choice for PM.

We appointed a wranger, that right a red head as our prime minister! What she is female? That irrelevant, a red head did you hear!

:)

Good point

Quote "The easiest switch would be to go to OpenOffice.org from Microsoft Office. This switch is easy because not only is OpenOffice.org superior software in every respect ...".

Looks like a nice impartial artice.