They were not the first or even the best at this. That has always been
Apple's forte. They not only make the software but the hardware. It is
proprietary to the nth degree and it did it before Windows was even thought
of. Microsoft has a cosy relationship with OEMs that is mutually satisfying.
They up the ante with bloated software and make equipment obsolete and OEMS
support Windows and not other operating systems in return. Plus they get
cheap licenses for Windows that they can use to sell computers to us, in
return for an exclusive engagement. If that's what you mean by working
together then I agree. It's called collusion and it works against the user,
keeping them on a treadmill of upgrades.

I would not go so far as to blame the third world for spam. Much of it comes
from the developed world and broken copies of Windows can't do much unless
you have internet access which much of the third world does not have. Just
today, Microsoft admitted that spammers from Canada hacked two of their
servers and sent out mega amounts of spam before they figured it out. They
admitted it only in the face of leaks that outed them. They said the servers
were "misconfigured". I interpret that to mean that they were misconfigured
because they did not have Linux. BTW, Canada is not considered part of the
third world, but it is a haven for spammers. Two Montreal men were recently
fined a huge amount (over $1B) for spamming Facebook users. There are huge
numbers of spammers everywhere including the US and UK. It is a big and
growing business.

It must be lucrative, but I can't figure out who would be stupid enough to
respond. I have received lots of spam over the years and as of yet, have not
responded to one. They are so pathetic that you would have to be really
desperate to act on the garbage they are selling whether it is cheap/ fake
Viagra or offers of phone sex. Have you ever been tempted? You don't have to
answer that.