with Office & their XML schema. Saw demos at MS office in 2002 & worked with them on several internal awareness events for my HK employer.

But MS has given in to the desire to create a microchannel lock-in (was working for IBM when that mistake was undertaken).

In mid 1980s when with IBM NZ, they tried suing anyone who sold a PC/AT that had a clone of IBM's BIOS. One of my workmates at IBM at the time was responsible for developing the evidence used to take two other people I had once worked for, to court, for using IBM clone bios's in the PCs they sold.

Result of IBM's BIOS bastardry was AMI & Phoenix & IBM's bios dissapearing. MCA was next & PS/2 generally followed.

I hope worse happens to Microsoft & by the way they are squealing & trying to poison, strangle, fud-to-death & kill Linux strategy, I think they at last have met their match & are so focused on their vicious struggle they are losing their place in the industry.

In the past 3 years, Microsoft have succeeded in expanding on how much they are despised by so many more people & IT decision makers. It can only get worse.

Doug M