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some evidence

MS just about invented stock options in lieu of pay. But when you don't expense them, then your books do not reflect the true cost of doing business. That misleads investors into overpaying for the stock. MS is a "bubble" firm. It is going to the dust heap. No amount of cash to "burn" on weird "good ideas" is going to save you when you don't listen to what your customers want. (Privacy, security, and a trustworthy supplier.)

any company in a leading product market position.

There is an old mantra I sort of subscribe to: "A man's character is his fate". The so-called "operating system" was a "lie". It was never just permitting the hardware to function together. It was an application environment, and was used to preclude competition by diminishing or negating "functionality" of unwanted applications. The best of the 3rd party aps that showed up on the radar screen were just "taken" by writing a "functional spec" (a process the softies called "virginizing", and then programming the ap into the next release for "free". (Which wipes out the creator)

You're simply going to have to face facts.

For me the facts are simple. I do not trust anything MS does, says, or sells. There is still a whole bunch of stuff going on in the "background" over the net, and I stopped the "long fotrced march to upgrade" with W98. I am headed "out" of the MS wotrld, and I would guess a lot of others are as well. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me!

Be well, my "Seattle" based freind.

MS just about invented stock options in lieu of pay. But when you don't expense them, then your books do not reflect the true cost of doing business. That misleads investors into overpaying for the stock. MS is a "bubble" firm.

You're buying into the same BS being fed to Americans by Democratic pollsters. Expensing options is a red herring, and I'll tell you why. There is no way to predict the future cost of options at the time they're granted; therefore, there's no way for investors to estimate future obligations. By the same token, options don't become expenses until the stock rises above the water mark. As it stands, the vast majority of Microsoft's previous paper obligations are no longer obligations since the stock will never rise above that level. Honestly, you've bought into campaign year rhetoric meant to drive a wedge issue between Democrats from Republicans.

It is going to the dust heap. No amount of cash to "burn" on weird "good ideas" is going to save you when you don't listen to what your customers want. (Privacy, security, and a trustworthy supplier.)

MS spent $100M recently to improve the privacy and security of its products. They are listening. You're just not paying attention.

There is an old mantra I sort of subscribe to: "A man's character is his fate". The so-called "operating system" was a "lie". It was never just permitting the hardware to function together. It was an application environment, and was used to preclude competition by diminishing or negating "functionality" of unwanted applications. The best of the 3rd party aps that showed up on the radar screen were just "taken" by writing a "functional spec" (a process the softies called "virginizing", and then programming the ap into the next release for "free". (Which wipes out the creator)

Companies routinely borrow ideas from one another. Look at any industry and you will see innovation being tapped by competitors. If you believe this practice is peculiar to Microsoft, I've got a bridge you might be interested in buying. As for apps being given away for free, the only one that I'm aware of is IE. And Netscape set the price at zero. The dug their own grave.

I do not trust anything MS does, says, or sells.

This is America. You have the right to be wrong.