I remember that they even saved Apple from going bankrupt back then. Its true that they dominated Apple, but i wouldn't say that they wanted to destroy them.

But seriously, aren't all competitors just trying to destroy each other?

You're right of course, but the tactics they used (especially against oss/linux and the web) pissed off a lot of people.

If destroying meant: making yet a better product and marginalizing the competition (with the product or through marketing) it would be business as usual, but it seems microsoft didn't understand that their embrace-extend-extinguish method would backfire in the internet age.

"They tried to destroy android, and they lost."

Actually they make more on Android then Google. I would call that #winning.

You made the point. Although it was not that explicit, from IE destroyed Netscape, I can see the other intentions. Fortunately, Linux, Apple, Android survives. MS tried to play monopoly which hampered the competition. The same for Google now. Maybe once you are no.1, you will be like that, but it's near eye sighted.