This is why the Windows analogy ...

... DOES hold up: Say Microsoft disappeared tomorrow, and every Windows operating system along with it. Would the following not basically describe what would happen ... ?

"Would life go on in the US without [Windows operating systems which encompass 95% of the world's business, personal and emergency networks]? Yes, it would... but not as we recognize it now. Instant rationing, driving and delivery restrictions, flight cancellations, government confiscation of stored and reserve supplies. Costs of vital goods goes UP with the increase in demand and the limitation on transportation means, and availability goes DOWN across the nation. People in vital positions within the infrastructure find themselves unable to report to work due to transportation issues and costs. Unpleasant, but not unexpected, side effects could include hording, gouging, violence and crime... all needing to be addressed WITHOUT resources like [Windows] as a reliable resources."

Think of Macintosh et al as bicycles in a bullet train world - sure you can get to work on a Schwinn, but delivering millions of goods (be it a real or virtual highway) on one doesn't work well. Much like the sudden dissipation of imported crude, anarchy would reign were Windows to suddenly cease existence. But we would eventually pool our domestic resources and reinvent/rebuild what we must. Either one would be catastrophic to our economy and infrastructure. An ambulance unable to reach its' destination due to lack of petro is sad, but so is the inability for the 911 switchboard to register the call because their operating system is suddenly non existent, or the Internet connected phone that would presumably dial the numerals 9-1-1 in the first place. The point here is that either's dissolution would have far ranging, even catastrophic consequences for the US and world at large, yet you seem to not find much quarrel with describing one's profits as "obscene" while the other's are at the very least, palatable.

By the way, the profit margin after overhead for the US based Oil industry as a whole in 2007 was 9% ... Microsoft's? ... 21%. Not trying to stir a beef, just food for thought. Vital to the public or not, private industry is still, well ... private. And "obscene" profits simply do not exist in the private sector.