Really, I can't understand everyone's grudge against MicroSoft and Bill Gates. Personally, other than preffering Mozilla over IE, I think their stuff is better than everyone else's. I have no problem with Word or anything else, but on forums like these people criticize nonstop saying how junky everything is. I have yet to have a serious problem other than occasional computer glistches, which everyone, Mac users included have sometimes.
I still remember what they pulled on the guys who did Stacker so I appreciate some of the grudge.
So far as I'm concerned, I'd look into a different OS that had some benefits, but if it can't run the games that I want, I won't be using it at home.
In the majority of the cases out their, you're absolutely right. Office is, for example, still the runaway best for productivity suites in terms of integration and customization. Yes, there are alternatives that are file compatible, but are they going to use my VisualBasic macros? Nope.
Personally, I don't have much problem with their software, other than rampant bloat and interface changes from one version to the next. Both NT and 2000 servers, for which I am responsible at my company, have been very stable. The only damage or serious delays I have ever experienced have been due to hardware or network failures, or my own "oops"es.
What I do object to is Micro$oft's business ethics. They've been convicted in court, for pete's sake. As far as I can tell, it hasn't changed their stripes one iota.