Microsoft Vista - same old same old

You can't take it away from Bill Gates - he is responsible for the creation of the personal computer software licence- that was, many years ago, a true piece of business genius. However it is indeed painful to see that like Internet Explorer 7's rip off of Firefox's creativity in creating a more intuitive web browser, Vista has remarkable similarities to Apple's OS x system which has been around for 3 years. Why is it that this organisation has no creativity other than in it's ability to use intellectual property law to hurt the very competitors that give it all of its creative ideas? I refer rhetorically, of course to the patenting of Apple's Ipod circular controller for which, Apple now has to pay Microsoft £3 for every Ipod sold.

I know that I rarely use this "Advice blog" as a rant vehicle but my advice can only be - consider trialling Linux (it runs off a CD so there is no risk and turning back to windows is effortless) or buy a Mac for your house and use Firefox with wanton abandon so that marketeers continue to cater for it in browser compatibility. Should Microsoft's monopoly on web browsing and PC operating systems ever fully materialise then I fear greatly for ongoing innovation within our industry.
Rant over.