To root out rentals a generically being bad, is like saying the stock market is great because Microsoft stock went up.

Anyone investing in Big Box stores at this point in the game are setup for a loss.Now, if Intel, IBM, Apple, Microsoft, etc go bankrupt then sure you have a point.  

Microsoft doesn't give their code away freely to Apple, nor should they just because they both belong to a common community. 

and as a very small shareholder of Microsoft (which I am!)

You can design your own fliers, postcards, business cards etc. on Microsoft Publisher and then have them print off copies for you and pick it up at there store.

Amazon, Google, Microsoft all adding jobs and property values going up 10% year over year.  

It prints envelopes as well so I used Microsoft words to automate my homemade letters so that I can give the letters a personal feel by adding each individuals name on their personal envelopes.

I think some of this has to do with the Microsoft campus that was put on hold on this side of town. 

You said it yourself, Bill Gates (technically Microsoft now) hires college graduates, so a smart guy like him sees the value.

If you are do it your self kind of person you can get Microsoft Visual Web Developer for free which is a great tool.