>For example, Microsoft has, what, 40,000 +/- employees? How many of these are programmers? I wouldn't have a clue but I know there are a lot of support folks. Let's say 10,000?

I would guess much lower than that. Half that at best! I guess the vast majority of their staff is administrative, marketing (they surely have a lot of that), lawers (of course, hehehe!), sales people, and executives to make the business work. Whatever's left is split up between the various products.

But, like you, I don't have a clue to the real numbers! :)

> That's why I think that Kylix on Linux has a real chance to be dominant on that platform.

I liked Pascal a lot, but I had not a chance to work with it. I had bought Delphi 1 and 3.

>The next couple of years will be interesting I'd think.

Funny, because I remember back in college (1992 - 1995), I said that computing had lost it's appeal since it became about making money, rather than about creating something useful. Linux and the open source brings back that "creating something useful" feeling I think.

Not that I have experienced that era myself, since I am 28 years old. But I take that feeling from what the teachers told me it was like.