Java, plain and simple.... I just upgraded to windows 7 (ok, do not laugh!!!) and the only applications that work seamlessly are the Java apps.... just my 2 cents....
Anyone has half ounce of brain wouldn't promote Microsoft's visual studio here. It cost way too much, and it's libraries are not standard, can't run cross multiple platform(even within Microsoft realm of os), and you have to constantly to upgrade it every 2 or 3 years whenever you upgrade OS, on top of that , you don't own your software if you have to use its libraries, which is impossible to use without. It just that simple.
Except you are an idiot. Too much? Like... 0 (Express edition)? Need to upgrade? Like MS comes and forces you? Totally bonkers - since some versions it is even backward compatible (ile. not tied to the .NET version anymore). I hope you trade better, but I have my doubts, given that illusions in reality normally dont lead to good trading.
"Having half an ounce of brain", "You're an idiot"... It's amusing seeing (probably young) people fighting their crusades, I left them a long ago for a resting life . Number22, the things you say look true in theory but not in reality. Microsoft MADE their standards by widespreading their products; anyway, for example, I heard that - as to C++ - after version 6.0 they tried to follow standards better. In practice every system (starting from Linux, continuing with Mac OS) has its incompatibilities among versions, bugs, and things that force you to upgrade. I'm still using Visual Studio 6.0 on Windows 2000 quite flawlessly. Now I have to struggle a bit to make Rithmic libraries compile on 6.0 version, but if I simply upgraded to 2003 version (or even 2002) I'd have no problem. Also, it would be easy for Rithmic to make their libraries 6.0 compatible. The only Microsoft system I decided to abandon because of incompatibility is Windows 98+Office 97, but it's still very usable. We're talking of a 10 years ago product...
In what way is Excel (or any spreadsheet for that matter) not Turing complete? I'm curious NetTecture: do you speak to people in the same way you post to them here? If so, how's that working for you?
Why would anyone run software on Windows computer from 3rd party in Poland without checking its source code first? How different is that from running spy-wares, or virus on their Microsoft Windows? It is pretty obvious where virus and spyware are developed with.