Vista's sales have fallen far short of expectations. Seems the only significant market is computer manufacturers who include it as the installed os. Microsoft's response has been to blame the product's disappointing reception on software pirates and Apple's PR department. 
Many of the reviews from the tech gurus I've read blame Vista's nasty temperment on Microsoft's obsession with digital medium "rights" and they way MS's programmers have implemented code to make sure you don't get access to something you may not have paid for, at least by their definition. I have no idea whether this view is accurate or not. But I do know Bill Gates is not Satan incarnate. He's just the devil's cabana boy.