[tman]

Absolutely right. That's actually what I was thinking. It should be built into the OS. Same for adblock in IE (too late for that, maybe).

And there needs to be serious backup software built into every version of Windows (not just the premium versions). The recovery discs should be as ubiquitous as AOL CDs, recovery partitions on every hard drive, etc. Backups should be on by default and as simple to use as Time Machine.

In fact, if they were really going to do it right, they'd go to a repository system for software (like Linux uses), give free online backups for user data to everyone, and basically make the process of duplicating your home computer somewhere and somewhen else a point and click exercise.

Instead, what we get is a company that manages to steal Apple's bad ideas, ignores its own innovative ideas, and delivers products that are only 90% there. It's painful to see so much wasted potential.

Ah well, if Microsoft shareholders ever get tired of Ballmer and want to give me a call, I'm on the internet.