http://www.gigaom.com/2005/04/07/msn-takes-on-skype/

...MSN Messenger...[has]... “the old architecture and put a new one in,”...I want to know more about how this will work - what technology they are using? Will there be a PC2PSTN phone service? Does it use SIP? Nothing? What Microsoft - despite Scoble - doesn’t get that the whole VoIP thing is happening in the “open media space.” ... [ emphasis added ]

Microsoft has made huge strides on the standards front in some areas - their C++ compiler is now pretty good (and VS2005/VC8.0) will be even better.  VS2005 will also clean up some of the HTML mess, although they still haven't embraced CSS 2.0 for IE7.  They've also worked hard at working with the various XML standards and are big supporters of the various web service initiatives.

But almost all of that effort is reactionary.  The VOIP area is something brand new, and in almost typical Microsoft fashion, they're going their own way.  This same type of behavior occurring over and over again is what helps breed the animosity towards Microsoft.