Step 1. Cheat!
Maybe that's why there are so many Microsoft bashers. Not because they're so big. Not because the software leaves much to be desired. Because they cheated so often when almost everyone else played by the rules. (Don't believe me? Send me your source code - if we like it, maybe we'll do a joint venture.)
http://www.google.com/search?as_q=qdos+50000&hl=en&n...
They are notorious for their strategy of backing out of deals with small independent software developers (like a lot of us) and having that code conveniently show up in the next version of their OS.
Here's one example: http://judiciary.senate.gov/oldsite/jeffress.htm
"At one point, we nearly sold our product to Microsoft. In January 1996, Microsoft invited us to its Redmond campus. It told us it was interested in acquiring Electronic TV Host and in hiring our employees. We understood that Microsoft would continue to offer our electronic television guide as a stand-alone computer program. We were excited. We shared our technology with Microsoft, and all our hard-earned insight about the industry. We even shared our business plan.
Then, negotiations broke down over price. Microsoft wanted to purchase us for less than half the price we offered. Microsoft told us that if we didn't sell at its price, Microsoft would compete directly against us. Of course, Microsoft could compete against us very effectively: it has the resources, and it has our hard-earned knowledge."
You can google hundreds of others yourself.
Whoever can stay in business while still paying their lawyers wins. Nice.