The title above is the exact same one you see when you enter the Microsoft website. If you've entered this website then you might agree with me that's probably the first thing that really catches your eye isn't it? Well that's probably because it's meant to. To be honest with you, this wonderful sounding title isn't exactly what caught my attention. Oh no…not by a long shot! For you see, I'm one of those computer users who don't really know how to effectively work with another operating system than Windows and therefore I'm interested in something else when I visit this site.

Ever since I had my first computer, the Windows OS was my choice: very easy to use, intuitive and of course user friendly. But for quite a few years now, as Windows 2000, XP and now Vista appeared, all with great fuss, all declared to be, by Microsoft, more effective, more powerful, more reliable and so on, I came to realize (as probably most of you have) that reality isn't quite as peachy as some might think. And I'm saying this because of the things that really caught my attention when I last entered the Microsoft website, namely words like security updates, solutions, upgrade and so on and so forth.

You might say: So? Well, ever since words like these became popular it seems that Microsoft - sorry to say that - isn't really able (or doesn't want it?!) to release a fully functional, working, 100% error free program for the public to fully enjoy it without having to constantly upgrade it in order to make it work. And now some of you might say that I have no idea as to what I'm talking about, that's impossible for a program not to need upgrades in today's rapidly changing software environment. And you might be right on that one. It does seem impossible, but I would really like that to be the case.

I'm absolutely certain that it's human nature to make mistakes, but I can't help wondering if all of these little glitches that need fixing - ever since the program was released for purchase by the general public - aren't really a clever marketing trick. Just think for a minute: what better way to keep the consumer focused in one direction? Give him something that works 99% of the time but ultimately needs a little adjustment. And then another one, and another one and so on until you have the consumer looking not only for the upgrade he needs but also starting to look around at other well published products, with exciting features.

I don't want to be misunderstood, I'm not saying that that's the case, because I think the Microsoft officials would agree with me when I say that such a strategy would be unfair and of course un-loyal to the consumer who is just trying to get his money's worth. I guess that what I'm really trying to say here is that I hope Microsoft will soon be able to release an operating system that's worth having without having to worry when it's going to need its first patch, because like I said before I am a Windows user and would hate having to learn to work on a different OS.