>I don't find it surprising that programmers are afraid -- let's say reluctant instead -- to move away from Microsoft. It isn't really about Microsoft per se IMO. Even though people like to think independently, markets basically want a leader. People want to make a safe bet. They don't want to put their chips on the Bob's Great New Software square and then wind up with a dead product.

But Mike has Microsoft .Net shown it's self as a market leader? Not in the last five years. But maybe they are considering that in the past MS was the leader. OK that might well be a consideration. I too have to consider that MS's money might just make it the winner in the end. But MS's recent record has not provided a lot of confidence. I keep seeing MS's cutting loses and running to something new.

But your last point does not hold water. The languages in the top ten have been around years (python > 10, Java > 15, etc...). So what stops them from picking from the top ten. BTW the list I ref is the tiobe list (can't really recall the name).

John