1) Agreed. I've got no special knowledge.

2) Dunno. MS (and Intel) could have used an open process for Secure Boot that Linux distros could have participated in as an equal (without paying huge fees or having a process that is prohibitively expensive - http://www.zdnet.com...-and-fedora/11187 ). It wouldn't have made it less secure (probably would have made it more secure). They didn't.

3) Agreed. Every company should be forbidden from having huge war chests like that. And their profits should be taxed sensibly. And management and director pay should be limited to some reasonable multiple of minimum/average employee pay. And... But those thing aren't going to happen with a Republican House.

My $0.02.

Cheers,
Scott.