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True. MSFT has not participating in this rally. Probably because as things get better and better, there is less and less reason to upgrade.

I just built a new machine for myself, but I did it because I wanted to, not because the old one was slow or outdated. Few people are like me in that regard. If you need a machine for simple things like entering orders, typing letters, and keeping address books, anything bought in the last 2 years should last ages.

I agree the writer also doesn't know his history very well in the late 80's there was only 1 major software company the company was ruthless and exploited its customers charged exorbitant prices -- that company's name was Novell with Netware and WordPerfect.

The public was rescued from their nasty practices by microsoft. Which over time has devolved into much the same brute Novell was. The reason for the switch was on two counts -- 1) NETWORKING Novell could only network locally and windows 3.11 used TCP/IP which allowed it to network with other networks. 2) WINDOWS GUI INTERFACE GUI (point and click flat won over having to memorize hundereds of commands and switch combinations touse in the dos commmand line.

The story about Linux as told by linux zelots isn't quite straight. Until quite recently Linux has been and actually largely still is a computer stone age command line based product -- all the old linux people at UAF gloat over how much more control they have over their files as compared to windows. They actually hate the new GUI interface and consider themselves purists. Their conceit is sometimes hard to take.

In windows you have every bit as much control over files without use of the command line.In the new wave of linux you can now do many things in GUI, but there are still routine things that you need to or are more easily done in the command line.

The average user is pushed away by that -- IT people are afraid to implement because of that very reason. So while Linux has more and more closely mimicked windows the public hasn't charged over their in droves even when it's given away.

Why? People don't like change! While at first glance Linux says "Same!" those who try Linux and star office say "different!" The Networking and GUI issues killed novell and were more than enough that the public overwhelmingly changed sides.

With Linux 2004 there is no compelling reason to change. The fact is the company is a windows wannabe with practically no price tag does not make a Toyota owner want to jump into a yugo!

Nuff Said.