More specifically, according to something a RISC-V guy wrote, Intel has kept its (and AMD's) x86 ISA network effect alive by regularly introducing not-so-useful

More specifically, according to something a RISC-V guy wrote, Intel has kept its (and AMD's) x86 ISA network effect alive by regularly introducing not-so-useful new patented instructions that at least someone will use (or be persuaded to use); so that others can't claim compatibility with the accumulating ISA for their now-public-domain ISA CPUs. If so, that rather requires Microsoft's connivance, since they could refuse to use any such new instructions in their OS, and even refuse to allow programs to employ them, theoretically. I'm blue-skying here, but I wonder if Microsoft hasn't withdrawn that kind of cooperation a long time ago; or been able to use the threat of doing so as a bargaining chip, here. There is also the legal angle - Microsoft could sue on the grounds of patent misuse re that RISC-V allegation, and hope to invalidate the current x86 IP. Trouble is, that area of law has been deliberately allowed to fall into contradiction and confusion over decades in the U.S.; because corporations like to misuse patents to extend their monopolies and network effects - so I don't know how much luck Microsoft would have (and of course, they're vulnerable to similar accusations.)