>>>>>>http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2013/06/07/the-xbox-one-might-let-sonys-ps4-win-by-default/
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Win8 (forced interface). Win8RT (useless). Windows Phone (awful marketing), Vista (speaks for itself)... and the hits keep coming.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Microsoft truly is the IBM of the 80's.
>>>>>
>>>>>I don't buy it. People said the PS3 was going to bury the 360 (because of the blu-ray player IIRC), but they've been neck and neck in sales. MS will adjust their XBox strategy and they will succeed.
>>>>
>>>>I think they will adjust the strategy, but they'll do it after rollout and any window of opportunity. Just like Win8.
>>>
>>>Win8 is great on handheld devices. If anything it's ahead of the times. A few minor adjustments and it would be great on a desktop also, but they feel the need to try to force their user's to change.
>>
>>I do like it on my phone. Too bad most people have never seen it.
>>
>>Forcing users to change - that is the killer. They have been trying that since Vista and refuse to learn the lesson.
>>
>>I've been a Microsoft fan for decades, but I'm working hard to jump ship at this point.
>
>What are you jumping to?

That's the tough part. No really good alternatives.

I am once again wasting time with Linux desktop, but it is still not a primetime player and won't be because it is far too fragmented.

VS2012 with .NET for development is still my bread and butter - nothing close for an IDE or very complete set of classes.

Microsoft is trying to push everyone to the cloud AND local as well (hybrid solutions since cloud has so many disadvantages) so they can double sell everything and have usage fees. I absolutely will not do that to my clients.

I'm probably going to take some valium and try Linux server again. AFAIK that is not something that is trying to force you into cloud payments..?

I'm mostly looking and hoping at this point. we have told Microsoft that we're done being a Microsoft Partner at renewal time (that led to a string of about 20 calls from various MS mid-level clones).