Darby, it's not that MS are overkeen to add 'geeky' features through mindset; their business model depends on it. Apple is a product company - they design largely for the end user. But MS is a platform company and they design so that 3rd parties and their partners can take their products and add to them, creating an 'ecosystem'. Cramming they're 'base' products (example, Analysis Services 2k5) with functionality increases the likelyhood that some other company will come along and build their specialized product on top.

MS make their millions through licencing this technology to 3rd parties. It's a large and complex market that dwarfs Apple and it's developers and as such, it's slow to innovate and take risks. This above all else is the reason MS have such a hard time 'keep up' with Apple and Google.