>>Lots of people are still using Microsoft products [which are really good/important]. And lots of people are using Kalashnikovs e.g. the LRA, so they must be

>>Lots of people are still using Microsoft products [which are really good/important]. And lots of people are using Kalashnikovs e.g. the LRA, so they must be good? Please don't just write simple opinions like that on HN. Let me take a simple counter example: Microsoft had(/have?) a monopolist strategy. This meant they needed to have software/api/data formats hard to clone and be compatible with. this means they had to be over complex and varied in incompatible ways over time (then replaced regularly with new over complex implementations). That results in lower life quality for me and everyone else that had to use their stuff. The lack of better implementations, because of the monopoly, was a waste of money, blood pressure and time for at least tens of millions of people. I do agree about the charity, as a philantropist Gates has a serious attitude with setting goals and trying to reach them. Afaik, that made an incredible difference compared to e.g. the foreign aid of my country Sweden, set at 1% of GNP.