[quote name='Number83']I know I might be opening up a can...but what has Microsoft stolen in terms of billions? Seriously?[/QUOTE]
look at the lawsuits(where microsoft got sued and lost) with stac and wang
Microsoft was making offers to purchase the stac company for their file compression software in the mid 1990s. After weeks of studying the technology and company, microsoft decided to pull out since they had enough information to come up with the technology themselves. They got sued for $120 million and lost. They did not appeal, but rather paid out with no questions asked.
similar case with wang.
Microsoft has done this for windows 3.1, windows 95, windows 2000, windows ME, windows xp, internet explorer 2,3,4,5 and 6.
Oftentimes when a new breakthrough comes along for the web, microsoft will offer to buy the company, then steal the technology and write out the code from the company that they stole it from, putting them out of business.
Gates built his $60 billion fortune mostly from outright stealing it.