They also had a similar valuation with the old non-abusive model so that does not contradict the grandparent comment.

The secret ingredient is crime.

Microsoft is as big as if is today because it broke the law in the past and avoided severe punishment from the DoJ.

I'm reading this comment as opposition to the rule of law

The law they broke is of the type where you can't be known if what you're doing is allowed or not in advance. Dictatorships love these sorts of laws, but unfortunately in the West companies are made to deal with a bunch of them

With all the privileges granted to these companies in the west, shouldn't they also bear some responsibilities to continue to serve the public fairly as well?

> Seems like it's still working quite well.

one could say the same about exxonmobil, chevron and haliburton

Exactly; these are highly successful companies. Sure, they're destroying the planet and leading us to doom, but they're giving the people what they want. Just look at the discussion here today about how awful cars and parking are, and how many people trash public transit and walkable cities because they like their cars and driving everywhere.

The problem isn't big corporations, the problem is regular, everyday people.

they are not wrong, though. from my time in the US, unless you're lucky and decide to stay in a city with half-decent public transport, you NEED a car to get around. No busses, no trains, no trams, only ever-expanding highways and stroads.

these companies spent a whole century destroying public transport to sell more cars. they spend that century spreading propaganda about cars, bribing politicians (or lobbying as you like to call it), and completely redoing the entire infrastructure of a major world power for... more money. you cannot blame the people being exploited for having to buy into a system they cannot do without, in a country where public transport is just a hollow imitation of itself from the past. again, they spent trillions to get things how they are now! government propaganda since the red scare hasn't been as effective as this.

The voters are the ones who don't want walkable cities. Just look at how enraged they get every time some city government (like Culvert City CA) tries to take away car lanes and make them into cycling lanes.

Stop blaming this on "the corporations". The people are the real problem here. They wanted to move away from the Black people and have redlined suburbs away from them, and this is what they got. Euclidean zoning is entirely a local issue, not something forced on everyone by lobbying.

Really? I remember when Exxon was the world's most valuable company. It's not even in the top 10 anymore.

Isn't that the point? Today does not tell about tomorrow. Maybe Microsoft isn't in the Top N anymore in a couple of years.

"With high quality software that everybody loves" - Said no one ever...