Microsoft's Interop Announcement

bmajik writes: "Microsoft is making a big deal about its new interoperability initiative. The announcement of "principles" include data portability, increased support for standard data file formats, open protocols, open API access, and a list of which MS patents apply to which protocols, and the terms under which those patents may be licensed. Additionally, the announcement includes a covenenant not to sue creators and users of F/OSS software who make use of these open protocols. What do people make of this announcement? Does it change things?"