I agree with you Microsoft's engineers are not improving their OS with each new version. Maybe success has gone to its corporate head. They certainly get enough feedback from dissatisfied users and have the ability to give customers what they want.
Like most of us, I guess, I chose to go with Microsoft because it was the "name" back in the day. Apple just seemed like a cute name for a wanna-be.
The industry itself has gotten too cocky for its and our own good. Too many restrictions and complications in communication with suppliers when you need help. When I have a problem, I want an expert to respond to my request with a solution. I don't want to have to go through a raft of other amateurs' similar complaints on several web pages with not a word from the vendor. Tech support should have no time limits or version limits. Customers should be getting wise to the fact that every new version is not better technically or productively than its predecessor.
I still use XP on my old Gateway PC. If my HP Notebook hadn't have come with Windows 7, I wouldn't be using it.