Really, some times you have to use Microsoft because what you want to do runs only on their products.

Next is your simple minded statement about security. Please realize, that if 90 plus percent of the computers in the world used Linux/Unix and were Apple, you would be complaining about those instead.

By the way, don't feel to smug and secure. I'm already seeing security vulnerabilities taken advantage of in Firefox. Guess critical mass for bad old, bug ridden, security holed software is about 10 percent.

I'm old enough to remember the days of the real monopolies with computer companies such as Apple and IBM. When you had to buy everything from them, OS, software and hardware. Computers that cost thousands when that was money!

IBM made a mistake not locking the PC up in patents and Microsoft MSDOS standardized a generic computer. IBM and Bill Gates changed the world forever. Give credit where it is due, you would not have any choice if that did not happen. At best you may have had pay Apple $5000 a piece for their latest Mac and $1000 for an Apple ink jet printer for it. To that end, I doubt you would have even had the internet to blast everyone outside your little world with anyway.