[LibFreeOrDie]

...the world's largest software maker is frustrated by legal shackles that prevent the company from restricting what kinds of software major computer makers install on new PCs. "We call them craplets,"

Now Microsoft wants to totally control the non-MS software that computer makers put on PCs? What, does MS want license fees for non-MS software, too? And calling other software "craplets"! That's rich!! Pot, meet kettle...

[neb52]

If it was that big of a deal they could start building their own hardware like Apple.

[antiRepublicrat]

Now Microsoft wants to totally control the non-MS software that computer makers put on PCs?

I can see their point, but unfortunately for Microsoft the business model that brought them their riches has this side effect. Microsoft's best course of action may be to actually deprecate the "Microsoft" mindshare and push some of it to the OEMs so that when Vista is broke a user will say "My Dell is broke" and "Dell screwed up Vista" instead of "Vista is broke."

[Doohickey]

Yet you give Apple a pass? Hypocrite.