[rhino369]

Competition is often a race to the bottom. Chromebooks are a huge threat to Windows hegemony.

Microsoft lost the internet and mobile platforms to Google. They are going to fight tooth and nail for the PC.

If the average person doesn't give a shit about privacy (and they truely don't), then Microsoft will not be able to charge for products Google supports for free with spying/ads.

[mark_l_watson]

+1 I upvoted you, but dissagree slightly: the web version of Office 365 works great on my Chromebook. Microsoft gets $100/year from me for Office 365 and I am happy enough even though I don't install the desktop versions of Word, Excell, etc. Worth $100/year for a gig per family member of cloud storage and the web versions of Office.