http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2009/Jul09/07-20LinuxQA.mspx
Microsoft is releasing three drivers for the Linux kernel to the open source community. Some people say it's an elaborate trap. Some people will say anything.
Of course Microsoft is doing this because it's in their own best interests. That should be obvious.
What's not obvious is that it is also in the best interests of non-Microsoft shops (although that is what makes it, IMHO, in Microsoft's best interest). There's a paranoid fringe element that wants to do everything possible to eliminate Microsoft's power in the software development field. Nobody has explained to me yet why this is not hypocritical in the extreme. And not that hypocrisy is all bad, but at least admit it when you are doing it.
What I do know is that Microsoft already reached the top, and could have, had it wanted to, exerted its influence to "screw over" its customers. Kind of like Oracle does. But it didn't. They have aggressively protected their IP, sure. Again, I'm not sure how or why it's not logical or rational to protect your IP. But the open source community has to protect their IP as well. Only they can force you to reveal your value-add IP if you began with open source works.
I'm not seeing winners, and I'm not seeing losers. It's just a fun game to watch.
In the meantime, I'll stick to developing on a Microsoft platform because a) I know who I'm dealing with, b) they are pretty predictable, and c) I get a lot more done in a lot less time and with lower costs by using their stuff.