Look, I realize this story at Slashdot is mostly there to prod Linux zealots to flame from the far corners of the earth, but one bit of the story quote deserves some investigation:

When Windows Live comes in, we will see further integration between the server and online technical support areas, thereby making the troubleshooting process easier for in-house administrators and reducing overhead costs for the company.

This is an area where Windows and, therefore, of course, Microsoft really could do some damage. If you have a busted server and could securely have some master admin help you out, seeing what you see on the box's desktop, etc, as part of your paid maintenance, well, you'd really be in business. I don't know how many times I've drummed my head into a wall trying to find the exactly right string of words to Google up an answer to an admin question. Having a paid expert on call to instant message or, better, video chat while s/he looks at my box (again, assuming the pie in the sky secure connection), hopefully solving the tough questions in minutes, not hours, would be worth quite a bit of dough.

I'm not sure open source products have the impetus, as things now stand, to provide that same level of support.

2¢, etc.