[junklight]

This strategy worked out really well for C# as a response to Java. At first it seemed just like a spoiling move but somewhere a long the way c# turned into the better language.

So you can't blame them for giving the strategy another whirl

[browniepoints]

Funny story, the original plan was to use Java as the premier .NET language. Then Sun got all litigious and ish. So MSFT made their own. They have the benefit of having full control of C# good thing too. Look at what Oracle is doing to Google over Android.