There is one problem that M$ is trying to pull over the investors eyes

Quote: "Microsoft attributed some of the decline to the sudden popularity of small, low-powered netbooks, which are preloaded with its less expensive and lower-profit Windows XP instead of its flagship Windows Vista."

Now first problem with the less expensive Windows XP part is that when you buy any system today and want XP you pay the full Windows Vista OEM license then you have to actually pay a downgrade license. Now how is this less expensive then Vista... This should read "Microsoft attributed some of the decline to the sudden popularity of small, low-powered netbooks, which work better on anything but windows and are driving people to Mac and Linux in droves then to its flagship Windows Vista."..... Spin it as you want but M$ is making more money to sell XP then they are with Vista but this would make the dumbassed investors wonder why M$ waisted so much time, effort and money on Vista which in turn would make them loose confidence in M$ as a whole.

Slowly but Surely Going Down! Hurray!

MS should offer discount on Small Business Server 2008, when buying new pc's with Vista Business/XP Pro. Grow the small business sector, get momentum up.

MS might also be able to fix THE PARAGRAPH COMMENT BUG AT THE INQ!!!!

Well, Microsoft have been abusing their monopoly position for years. Linux and MacOS look ten times better, partly through their own charms, and partly due to the trainwreck that is Vista.

It would be good for everyone if Microsoft were to earn a little humility. It seems like they have already, to a point, now they have all but given up forcing Vista down peoples' throats, and are touting useable free beta versions of a vasty improved successor to win back some of those jumping ship. The levels of hubris that led them to foist Vista on people, thinking that merely throwing marketing money at it would do the trick.. well, it's just stunning. Proof that despite Barnum's postulate, you could go broke underestimating the judgement of the general public.

Part two would be if they got their asses kicked enough that they would no longer have the leverage to obfuscate everything, and lock out competitors. Microsoft playing nicely with the other kids would be a huge upside for everyone, Microsoft users and users of other platforms.

Bleh, apologies for any typos/stuff that doesn't make sense, just work up. Peas, out.

I find it interesting that the pundits who have made a living knocking Microsoft are now expressing optimism for Windows 7. All the beta reviews I've read say it may rival OSX and Linux. Have they realized that their income may be affected?

have they come