This has made the Internet a realm with synchronicity of products rather than a limited realm of exclusive products, and most manufacturers and the public have gained through a highly useful and successful environment. Microsoft has also purchased stock in failing competitors like Apple and Corel, to help them survive. Undoubtedly all of these alliances will also help Microsoft in some way. I don't know Microsoft's motives, but instead of thinking that these are purely selfish motivations on Microsoft's part, we should realize that alliances are ways that businesses, even fierce competitors, can benefit from working together. Giving power to others makes us stronger.
Power is a loose cannon in the world.
We too often see the power of having a singular focus and misinterpret this exclusiveness as the key to power. Those who have power would benefit from getting perspective on power. Competition is fun and through competition usually everyone benefits. But in the end we are all on the same team. We all need our incomes and investment incomes to put food on our table, build homes, get educated, retire, protect our health, improve the quality of our lives, and make our nation strong.