I find myself respecting Microsoft more and more of late (say the last year or so). It really is starting to feel as if they are reaching out from their closet and is realizing that they have to cooperate with the rest of the world. I guess you could argue that is a natural side-effect of not being the biggest bully on the block in every market are in (or enter).

An example of what I mean is the fact that on this Microsoft site you actually see images* of other browsers (gasp -- FF, Opera, Chrome all exist) in places where it's not necessary at all. This is something that caught me a bit by surprise.

(I guess I will now get all kinds of anecdotal evidence that they have been doing things like this all along or are downright evil. Point still stands: I am starting to get a bit more respect for the company, and not only the new IE team)

* http://ie.microsoft.com/testdrive/Performance/01FlyingImages...

Edit: When reading the other threads on the IE9 topic I realize I might be pretty alone in feeling this way :)