Microsoft Live platform: Bill Gates outlines the Microsoft Live Platform, while bits rain down on other platforms.I am a technically adept user. I have been using Windows since Windows 3.0. I remember the entire progression, 3.1, 3.11 for Workgroups, 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP, and it kind of ended there for me. These days I find myself absolutely disgusted by Microsoft. From the AutoUpdate system which I feel like I am selling my soul to use, to their restrictive licensing, to the threats from BSA, to how difficult it is to upgrade Windows versus something like Ubuntu, my relationship with Microsoft is strained. Further, I don't feel like I can trust Microsoft, even if I pay them. I think that much like IBM and the Nazis, if an authoritarian government comes after you, Microsoft will be the first company to sell you and your data out.

Further, I don't think that I and Microsoft can have a forward facing relationship. As a developer, I abhor the Microsoft platform. It's expensive, it doesn't scale without significant cost and I have to ask Microsoft each time I want to do something. Compare that to something like Linux where I can do whatever I want, I can deploy 10,000 clusters tomorrow and Linux Inc. isn't going to say a damn thing to me, other than awesome, can we write a case study? Investing time learning Microsoft technology from the perspective of the end-user or the developer seems less and less beneficial.

This document is currently being worked on and is very much incomplete. Please contact me if you're interested in contributing to it.

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