At the last startup I worked at, Microsoft sent designers and engineers that worked on Windows Server to better understand why we deployed on CentOS. They flew in from Redmond and spent a couple hours with us. We were forthright with them and they seemed to take the feedback to heart (differences in automation being the biggest solid need we could offer, since "running a Windows shop is just different" isn't really tangible feedback).
It impressed me, honestly, and it's good to see them listen to the failings in some of their product lines.
They need to increase the fanout of systems engineering knowledge on the windows platform (outside of microsoft). For low level stuff its much easier finding information about linux than it is about any of the other OS'es (in my limited experience).
It impressed me, honestly, and it's good to see them listen to the failings in some of their product lines.