>.Net is more like an expected way for Microsoft to cut development costs (I write 'expected' because there are so few examples of successful software rewrites) rather than an outstanding added value for its customers; I don't mean 'better' or 'worse' than others, just it does not do things so outstanding that others could not do before.

That is a bit harsh! Back then COM was about the only really workable multi-language object mechanism (say CORBA, I think venom) even with its many shortcomings. .Net clearly lifts it on a better level, Java had to play catch up.

Javascript: modularity is working today but with some grinding, will get module syntax baked in only in ES6...