Anyhow, someone should stick a big warning at the start of this thread that it has gone slightly off topicIt was you that took it there.
Microsoft has got a huge monopoly. Everyone knows that but who cares? They were first to mass-distribute an OS that had a GUI, had a stack of applications to go with it, was ready for the net, came with a browser, and ran on a IBM compatible PC (don't here that term used much now ay) which was the type of computer making the most inroads in the market share stakes. It was only a matter of time before it would take over from Commodore and Atari and who wouldn't expect the OS most used on it to go along for the ride? Hell you can even still get Browser/Dialler/LAN applications for DOS which was also popular at the time and before it.
Jealousy is a curse mate. Leave the tall poppy syndromefor those with nothing better to do with their time. I'll admit I wouldn't mind a fistfull of Uncle Bill's booty but either way I just get on with life and use my computers in the easiest and most efficient way possible. Ohhhhhh and by the way, I do have a Unix box, FreeBSD to be exact. It doesn't get much use though, mIRC only runs on Windows.