Microsoft has a long tradition of stifling competition. They can't really do it out in the open anymore, so the acquihire method seems brilliant - certainly che

Microsoft has a long tradition of stifling competition. They can't really do it out in the open anymore, so the acquihire method seems brilliant - certainly cheaper than litigation or fighting things out in the court of public opinion (lets be real, who actually cares outside of the niche tech/biz community).