I am sure this post will upset a lot of people, but I have had this opinion for a while and I felt the time has come for me to let it out.  Even if you disagree with my opinion, it will at least improve your complexion.

.NET sucks as a whole currently.  ASP.NET is not bad but it is not quite up to Java yet in most aspects.  For writing GUI apps, .NET sucks some more.  Configuration, upgrade, and administration is still not smooth despite being designed in.  Most importantly, the world is not yet ready for .NET, meaning people are not yet disgusted enough with other technologies that they have already sunk money into.

But all the pieces are coming together despite all the animosities, suspicions, and alliances against Microsoft and its habit of shooting itself in the foot.  People will get the clue when .NET 2.0 is released and they will be rocked when .NET 3.0 is unleashed.  People talk about IE standing still and emergence of rich clients but most of them don't seem to realize that .NET is the future of IE as well as the ultimate foundation for rich clients.

Tim's post about sharecropping is interesting, but .NET is the equivalent of Industrial Revolution.  Just think about the dam that is holding us all back, the dam called Client Distribution Problem.  Look behind you and see how many amazing technologies and startups ended up as roadkills simply because they couldn't get their software to the desktop.

.NET will solve all that, in time.  When it does, everyone will suddenly recognize that IE is the platform and Windows is IE.  Distinction between applications and IE will start to blur.  Ultimately, IE will be the Universal Document Viewer.  But guess who is going to be standing at the bridge to the desktop with its hand out?

Meanwhile, Java will disappear from desktops.  Flash will be decimated and casted aside like yesterday's manga when innovators jump in with competing tools and players.  Why attack the strong when there are weaker preys?  Chaos will rein in the application market and no one will be safe except Microsoft.  Bloody it will be, but anything is better than now.

Of course, I am assuming that Microsoft knows what it is doing.  If not, never mind.

Update #1: I have just posted a substantial comment to interesting points other commenters made.  Please be sure to read through the comments.