[PastaMonster]

What is the real reason Microsoft is doing this?

Companies don't do anything just because it's the right thing to do. Putting out a fire? Trying to kill a lawsuit? Perhaps the good ol' economical incentive? What have made Microsoft to lift a finger? And which finger?

[pc86]

Companies are not monolithic entities, they're made up of people. If you truly believe that companies never do something because it's the right thing to do, then you can't honestly believe that people ever do something because it's the right thing to do.

I don't see any direct economic or legal upside for MS doing this. However they've now got a very positive NYT article on it and the associated positive PR, so there's certainly some economic benefit in the long term, even if it's impossible to measure.