First of all, this is old news. Secondly, has it occurred to anyone that if Microsoft had pulled this stunt, the resident "Slashdoter's" would have been up in arms crying over the inhuman policy of a tyrannical corporate entity. However, since it is Google, who personally I believe is far more evil than Microsoft, the posts are mostly low keyed and benign in nature.

<quote><p>I wouldn't be so sure his flawed understanding of rape and conception is his motivation for opposing abortion in the case of rape.</p><p>I understand women can get pregnant from a rape, but still think abortion in the case of rape should be outlawed. The child is still a life and isn't responsible for the rape. Therefore, the child doesn't deserve to be punished with death for a crime he or she didn't commit.</p></quote>

I am going to assume you are a male and therefore would never be put into the position of having to carry an unwanted pregnancy resulting from a rape to term. The entire question of abortion should be left to women since they are the only sector of the human race that actually has to perform that chore. If men and not women were the ones to become pregnant, the legality of abortion would never have been questioned.

<quote>Last I read, they were making a lot of money selling operating systems. It's their bread and butter. They're already also making a lot of money selling other things, so why change a formula that is successful? I think most linux users and definitely most osx users are using the other operating systems for reasons other than the cost of the OS license, so I wonder how many new users a move like that would really attract.</quote>

While there is no doubt some truth in your statement regarding "OS X", the vast majority of Linux users that I know are using it primarily because they either cannot afford to purchase a full MS License or are socialist and believe everything should be handed to them sans payment of any kind. If Microsoft were to sell its operating systems for a token amount, say $25 or $50 it would cut a huge hole through the *.nix user base.

I like the alias feature myself. I don't have the time to completely check out the site now, but I will get around to it within the next few days.

Windows 8 is really nothing more than a BETA test for Windows 9. With the FOSS condemning them at every turn and thereby giving adding to the advertising of Windows 8, they have very little to lose. Even if it is only moderately successful, it will give Microsoft the needed information on how to proceed with Windows 10. In any event, with the FOSS expressing their displeasure with the OS, (sour grapes), it will force the FOSS to try and play catchup. I don't see how they can lose.

<quote><p>How can this be legal and not an abuse of their monopoly power?</p><p>Aside from the fact you can turn it off ( for now ) it still sounds like a clear case of abuse to me and someone should be talking to an attorney about this.</p></quote>

The simple fact that it can be turned off defeats your argument. Plus, are you so naive to believe that no one, i.e. Microsoft, Symantec/Verisign, Red Hat, etcetera have not properly vetted this with legal counsel?

In any case, vendors who make the hardware are the only ones who could be sued. Microsoft can make any software they want. If the vendors don't make adjustments to their hardware to facilitate its operation, then that is the end of it. Second, vendors can make any hardware they want. They are under no legal obligation to make any specific hardware that suits any specific environment. Failure to do so may well cost them money; however, they are legally allowed to do so.

This is just another example of the FOSS being a day late and a dollar short again. This entire scenario was announced nearly 18 months ago. What did the FOSS do? As usually, nothing. Procrastination is its own punishment.