Many thanks for the commentary. Most helpful.
Your forecast sounds quite plausible, though it seems it would entail a very risky MS strategy of aggravating it's consumer base in order to appease the media corporations.
I agree that it is a risky PR move in the consumer arena... but they may be arrogant enough to do it. MS can strongarm PC manufacturers into a corner as they have done with OS licenses (and could Dell, HP/Compaq sell nearly as many PC's if they came with no OS installed?) and they have a certain control over harware manufacturers - Could AMD or nVidia exist unless they had the ability to optimize drivers for Windows? AMD and Intel are also in a forced symbiotic relationship with MS. At some point, the "cooperation" may be pushed to its limit as Someone looks to squeeze out the competition.
Most people will follow like sheep anyway. Those who are fed up will seek alternatives and MS may just think that the disaffected were a natural loss.
The future is quite an interesting place.