Microsoft has been rather popular for the last 20 years, right? Well, as of their next release of Windows, I personally feel it will be the beginning of the end.

Anaylists said the same about Windows ME, Windows XP, and so on, but you have to look at the bigger picture: Competition. Microsoft has been the market leader because they're the most well known. Since the launch of user-friendly gadgets such as the iPod, Apple's share of the market has begun a steady increase. The "Apple VS PC" ads that have been aired on television are a prime indicator that Apple is ready for the increased demand.

But even still, there is more competition out in the wild. Linux is becoming more and more popular with home users, simply because of distributions like Ubuntu. Having used several different distros of Linux myself, I currently have Ubuntu installed on four of my computers, where Slackware, Fedora Core, and Mandrake were installed previously. Why? The same reason Apple is gaining market share: User-friendliness. Not only that, but Ubuntu is usable in areas other distros are not.

So why would I refuse to install Vista on a computer of my own? First and foremost, privacy. From what I have read about Vista's anti-piracy measures, the OS regularly checks itself against Microsoft's databases to see if it is a legitimate copy, regardless of passing installation-time legitimacy checks.

Second, image. Microsoft is popular because they have stolen ideas, lied, and cheated their way to the top. Bill Gates is nobody special, he's just mastered the art of illicit business. I use Windows now because an alternative hasn't exactly been available before, but now that one is, I have the option to say "no" to upgrading. I see absolutely no reason to donate my money to supporting the richest man in the world. He's only rich because he's lied his way to the top.

And third, money. The only reason I really even have Windows XP right now is because it came installed on my computers. If it were up to me to decide where my money would be spent, I can promise you that it wouldn't be on Microsoft products. Rather, I would donate that money to the various open source projects that I use, because honest, hard working people have produced said products.

To conclude, I'll be installing Ubuntu or Slackware, where Vista would be the next logical move.