That's not actually true. He was "saving" us from a world dominated by overpriced IBM time-sharing systems, and Sun, SGI, workstations. The world of the vertically-integrated systems.

There was no such thing as "personal computers" - and commodity hardware didn't really exist until the IBM PC and Apple I came on the market. As Microsoft was an independent software company, Bill Gates' "vision" was that by de-coupling the software from the hardware, he was providing a solution to the high-priced systems that the vertically-integrated competitors were selling.

At least, that was the idea in the late 1980's, early 1990's. And it was really the truth. Your typical IBM PC, plus MS DOS, plus productivity software, was a crapload cheaper than all competitors. When competitors DID emerge, the productivity software didn't exist. And that's where the problem occurred, because that's where MS became a monopoly. The only thing that kept prices competitive was the competition in the hardware space, and the bundling deals.

It's very different, in the post-2005-ish market, now that there are viable Linux solutions out there. Microsoft is hurting because of this. Most of their former competitors - if you hadn't noticed, are gone.

Gonna just squirt on down to Cabo on my Yune.

. . . who could have imagined that?

condoms

Where we really need cameras are inside the nation's trading floors, boardrooms, and executive offices. /Libor

. . . or citizens will be glad to provide their footage to 4chan, in which case, Anonymous will take it from there.

Windows is certified, but also, RedHat Linux is certified.

tell you what. . .

Been through TWO medium-sized California Earthquakes. Both of them knocked out cell service for >6hrs. One interrupted a call-in-progress.

The problem with these perversities, is that when it IS so easy for someone to get away with shit in bankruptcy, this triggers financial problems for their creditors; who had to eat that shit. It causes a chain reaction. So - while I am not really happy with the 2005 re-write of the bankruptcy code, in general - I think that there are plenty of cases where it didn't go far enough.

this

naw. DirectX is TOTALLY cross-platform man! It works on Windows XP, it works on Windows Vista, It works on Windows 7, it works on Windows 8, it works on X-Box, X-Box 360 - and it's gonna be the premier platform for the greatest games coming out on the hottest new platform, the X-Box 720. You guys just don't know what you're talking about and if your'e not developing in DirectX (TM), you're really missing the boat, and I feel sorry for you, because you're going to be left behind in the great new future that's ahead of us all in the world of Microsoft(TM) 3D(TM) Game(TM) Programming(TM). I am not even joking(TM).

TL;DR Life isn't fair.

This may sound kind of deranged, but my current employer asked me to down-format my resume to straight ascii text. I was kind of shocked. Then, at the interview, I was chided for wearing a tie. Fucking California.

you're not factoring-in relativity. Fusion will be available in 20 years, unless you approach the speed of light, using a fusion drive, in which case, time slows down, and fusion will be available at some point further in the future.

what factory? Where are these magical factories of which you speak?