[N3WBI3]

By the measure that truly matters, the marketplace.

Ill grant you that, heck I though I did when I said "the only one that comes to mind is licensing model, and that is a big one.. Microsoft has proven the business decisions trump technology, which is what both myself and the OP was saying..

Who says the most technically superior OS should "dominate"

Nobody...

OS threads are boring

And yet here you are..

[clyde asbury]

..the only one that comes to mind is licensing model, and that is a big one..

Your language is a bit murky, but a licensing model doesn't equate to the situation with a VCR. You bought it, you used it. If users don't want to adhere to a software license, they can choose otherwise, or not accept it in the first place.

A license is only as good as a company's ability to enforce it - which usually isn't very good at all.