Yes, now those five poor bastards who bought Windows 8 phones might, at some still unspecified date, get some decent apps.

Sssshh! Don't tell anybody, but those of us using Windows Phones don't need all of the silly "apps" that Android and Apple users need because Windows Phone 8.1 is actually useful, in and of itself!

Yup, nothing's perfect. But I certainly think that the telephone system in the US has served it's citizens very, very well over the years. Anybody can still get a phone in their house for about $25/month, no matter where you live. That, to me, is much more important than any kind of "telephone innovation" that the US system may or may not be missing.

That's supposed to be the point of our government: To provide equal access to basic services to *all* citizens, not to be a competitive, money-making machine that sells products or services to it's citizens. When something is decided to be a public good, such as basic telephone service, that means that every citizen, no matter how poor or remote, has access to the same service that everybody else does. The US telephone service has done that well, and it's time that Internet access is handled the same way, as well.

If you want "innovation", nothing is stopping you from purchasing that "innovation", but your ability to purchase it shouldn't come at the expense of the poorest members of our society having nothing at all.

I've yet to have anyone explain clearly why having the internet under the same regulatory regime as the telephone system would be a, net, positive thing.

Because telephone service is guaranteed to every American, no matter how poor, or how remote, for a fixed price.

I buy Windows Phone because of the UI. It's about a decade ahead of Android and Apple's "lots of little random icons on a grid" thing that most people still tolerate for some bizarre reason.

I think this is for people who want the better interface and the better performance of a Windows Phone, but with access to a few more apps.

If you're a 12 year old that wants to install as many apps as possible, you're not going to get a Windows Phone in the first place.

Right, it sucks that they had to close all the schools, in order to afford this :(

You're right. It does. That's my point.

I'm so proud that the US government will spare no amount of time, effort, or money in developing new ways to kill people. Killing people is much more important than health, education, social services, and the non-war economy.

You won't find a male engineer that became an engineer to feel better about himself and the 'societal good' he can do, that's for sure.

Speak for yourself. Some people have interests that go beyond the amount of money they can make.

I've got the HTC M8 One running Windows, and quite honestly, I don't think I've ever rebooted it

I'm not sure they'll ever make money in computers again if the Windows/Office gravy train ever comes to a halt.

You really think that's where they make most of their money? You've never read an 8-K, have you?

It's easy to run a business if the owners don't care about profit. Microsoft actually makes money. Huge difference. You go ahead and buy that Amazon stock. I'll keep my Microsoft stock, thanks.

That's funny. I trust them with my business, and it's worked out pretty well for me.

Oh, my lord! The shenanigans! They provided their web browser as a default with their OS! Lord, I feel like I'm getting the vapors!

Drama queen.

Competing with other companies is not what I, or most people would describe as "Evil", so quit with the hyperbole.

"Evil"? "Sin"? Please. Trying to kill the competition is what *every* business does. You're kidding yourself if you think otherwise. And Microsoft wasn't trying to kill the competition by doing anything other than competing with them. This whole "Microsoft is evil and Google isn't" is really pretty childish.