Sadly this post by Scoble is exactly what I was talking about here and here. Note the following:

And, no, Chris Payne, I didn't make any deals with Joe to open up MSN Messenger's APIs. Although if we had continued drinking the wine Buzz brought you never know! ;-)

I know this is meant to be funny, but I honestly wish Scoble would have had more to drink and signed an agreement. No I am not joking. As I have already stated in the above linked items, it serves not only customers, but Microsoft too. There has been (at least in the past and if the above is any indication, continues to be) this walled garden approach and attitude within the MSN Messenger group. Yes, I know MSN is a "separate" part of Microsoft, but I would say it is important to recall how Windows became ubiquitous and it was not by being closed... not by being what Apple became. I know a little more than I am writing, but I think now is the time for the Messenger group to wake up before the competition forces it down their throats. This is not just about Messenger either, but Messenger is an example of an oft repeated mistake... Once again, another reminder of the lesson learned via search engines. Say it with me, developers, developers, developers developers! They are the gardeners, planters, seeders and nurturers of the Microsoft ecosystem... they are not to be feared.