Microsoft has surpassed Google to become the world's third most valuable company

[Squid Surprise]

So I now understand that you work for Micro$lop. anyone who defends them with such passion can only be paid. Yea I bought a brand new laptop with win8 and my small programs would not work. I could not wait for M$ to develop a patch if they actually develop patches.

and it is well known that they do NOT develop too much tech, rather they just buy a successful and tech company and add it to the M$ group. The fact that they have a "successful" (meaning they make money) company does not mean that they are successful in tech skills but rather in BS.

As for Edge, come on now, it certainly does not have add ons like FF. and as for Open Office, etc, which I use, I can see NO advantage over Office except that you are working for M$ and on their payroll.

Look at the M$ screw up in not getting into smartphones. They were Johnny come lately with their phone. A friend of mine who is certainly no techie got sold one with M$ os and did not realize what a screw up it was. Poor fellow he ended up getting rid of it and buying an android device.

So please don't defend M$ to me. I have been using them since DOS and then as they tried to emulate the Apple graphic interface and went hit and miss taking peoples money....

Ahhh... the classic hater... someone who doesn't agree with your "unbiased" hatred must work for the company you hate...

No, I don't work for them... I'm a teacher...I'm not defending MS with any passion by the way... You're the one who said they peddled BS and weren't "tech experts".... I simply asked you to prove these claims... They make the best-selling Computer OS of all time, a really successful tablet/hybrid, and are one of the most valuable TECH companies in the world... If that doesn't qualify them as "tech experts", I'm not sure what your criteria are...

Now as for your "points of interest"...

1) You bought a brand new laptop that had Windows 8 - without researching whether your "small programs" would run on it... Almost everything that runs on Windows 7 runs on 8 - but there are exceptions - I assume you AREN'T a tech expert, otherwise you'd have checked to be sure before you bought....

2) It's "well known" that MS doesn't develop too much tech. REALLY?!?!?! You don't think the Surface, Windows (I know you hate it but it's undeniably one of the most successful pieces of tech in existence - they may have taken the idea of a GUI from others (Apple wasn't the first by the way), but it's still their tech!) and various others https://news.microsoft.com/apac/2016/11/25/25-innovations-by-microsoft-you-might-not-have-known/ for a bunch more innovations from MS Can you let me know just how well known your "fact" is? I think I know where the BS you claim they spout actually comes from...

3) Edge doesn't have the same addons as Firefox and Chrome - but it has other strengths. As I stated before, I also prefer other browsers - but it's actually "well known" that it's a pretty good browser... and instead of just laying out that statement with no evidence, here's a link https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2493880,00.asp --> you can Google plenty of other positive reviews too

4) MS Office has NO advantages over OpenOffice... Now I know you're just spouting BS
Check out https://www.idealware.org/comparing-microsoft-office-open-source-alternatives/

As I stated before, if you're a personal user, yes, a free Office app like OpenOffice is probably fine... but if you want remote access, professional tech support, email integration, or many other necessary corporate features, then MS Office is the only way to go.

5) Windows Phone - Here, I'll agree with you. MS really dropped the ball on that one. With such a huge user base, there was no reason not to believe that Windows wouldn't become the dominant OS for mobile.... and now it's virtually non-existent... But that doesn't make them "BS Peddlers"... it just means they failed in one area... Do you remember the title of this article? MS is now the 3rd most valuable company in the world.... It's based on a bit more than BS!