Building locked-down systems is not Microsoft's core competency. A big factor behind Windows' success was the massive developer support they received. With a fe

Building locked-down systems is not Microsoft's core competency. A big factor behind Windows' success was the massive developer support they received. With a few exceptions (like the undocumented ATL libraries), developers could do whatever the hell they want. They got a vibrant ecosystem in return. It looks like the same strategy is working for Android even today.