A lot of people seem to have missed the point, and this post is amongst them..
So for those who keep missing it...
Once upon a time the trend was to write desktop applications, but because Microsoft had control, was able to kill big players like Netscape, for which they ended up DOJ with MS being accused for monopoly...
Other victims: Java Virtual Machine of Sun was replicated as a Microsoft Java Machine which was incompatible and Sun accused them too.
WordPerfect, Lotus, Corel, HTML editors, media players, and the list goes on...
Microsoft was really scary for anyone developing for MS Windows, because nothing could stop MS cloning your app and just ship it with their OS and killing you instantly.
How is Google now scary for everyone making web apps? ...Can you understand that? You do? Good! Now you understand what Microsoft used to be.
Maybe the best solution to avoid all the confusion would have been to title the essay: "Microsoft's Monopoly is Dead", but this is far less eye-catching than the title used. It also wouldn't have stirred up the attention the article is getting nearly as much.
This blog is like many of the comments ( http://programming.reddit.com/info/1fyou/comments ) on the Reddit discussion about Paul's essay. I think a lot of people are missing the point. Microsoft has lost, perhaps irrevocably, their overwhelming dominance over the industry.
I remember reading an article that alleged microsoft had "gifted" few bloggers with some laptops. Is this author also trying for that ;-)
MS word or operating system, if people are given something better and they adapt to it, then MSFT will be history. Regarding huge tons of money in MSFT reserve, those will turn to dust. Money cant buy or stem things
Is this author trying for that? Speaking as the author, I can say that I am not fishing for anything except for intelligent debate ;)
Your argument about finding a better product, however, is a bit off. History is littered with better products and better companies getting relegated to the proverbial dustbin. After all, if it was true, Apple, or even Amiga, would have been King decades ago.
So for those who keep missing it...
Once upon a time the trend was to write desktop applications, but because Microsoft had control, was able to kill big players like Netscape, for which they ended up DOJ with MS being accused for monopoly...
Other victims: Java Virtual Machine of Sun was replicated as a Microsoft Java Machine which was incompatible and Sun accused them too. WordPerfect, Lotus, Corel, HTML editors, media players, and the list goes on...
Microsoft was really scary for anyone developing for MS Windows, because nothing could stop MS cloning your app and just ship it with their OS and killing you instantly.
How is Google now scary for everyone making web apps? ...Can you understand that? You do? Good! Now you understand what Microsoft used to be.