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> Soon they incorporated an expensive licensing program that third party apps had to use to interoperate with MSN Messenger, endlessly doing technical fixes to block third party access.

I remember this clearly as if it was yesterday, because I tried and failed to build a Messenger-compatible client. They defended exclusive access to the API fiercely.

Their attitude seems so petty now in retrospect.

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Oh stop complaining like MS is the only company to do this. Twitter is just as complicit in this sort of behaviour. If you're going to base your entire business on someone else's platform, don't start complaining when the earth shifts and you suddenly find yourself without foundations.

You take risks and bets in life and business. Use the tools that give you the greatest flexibility and build a robust business. In this case, these announcements increase that flexibility.

While everyone here keeps complaining and debating Embrace/Extend/Extinguish, someone is embracing the changes and out-executing them. I know which I'd rather be.

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