Half of these issues are really about Ruby on Rails, not so much Linux. Java could fit the bill for most of his requirements just as well as a Microsoft stack (and probably cheaper).
This reads like an advert more than anything. Bizspark is nice and all for the first three years but good luck after that when you get hit by those licensing costs. There is a reason there are hardly any successful Microsoft stack startups. It isn't exactly a secret that RoR can be a pain in the ass which is why there are so many stories of startups switching from RoR to something else when they hit "the wall". As you said he could easily have solved this problems by switching to Java instead.
Also good luck getting support from Microsoft in the long term using MongoDB instead of SQL Server. Microsoft will say and give you anything to get you hooked but once you are "in" they don't give a shit.
edit: Also he said that RoR developers in SA are hard to find and that it is mostly C#, Java and C++. If he already knew RoR would be a hard environment to work with due to a lack of talent then he should never have even brought it into the equation. Sounds like he should have gone with Java and stuck on Linux.
The problem with Bizspark is that it does eventually run out, and once it does you have to license all of those Windows Server/SQL Server installs just like everyone else, which isn't cheap. When that day comes, you'd better have the margins to support a sudden rise in software costs.
That said, if everyone else where you live is doing MS development, it is going to be a lot easier to hire people if you do the same.
That's true, they're now worse.
They are now a patent troll both directly (with the money they are demanding, and getting, from Android manufacturers) and indirectly (see link to bloomberg below) and engage heavily in astroturfing (which this article smells of... also see the readwrite link below) and attack ads (scroogle, droid rage, everything Mark Penn). On top of that it looks enough like they are closing their platform that Valve has jumped ship to hedge against MS forcing them through the MS app store where they can take a cut.
