Microsoft contributes to Linux and other open source projects in many ways, including financially. The cynical among us believe it's for the same reason Google contributes to Mozilla. Legally it's harder to prove you're an evil monopoly if you financially support your competition. Microsoft's involvement in Linux only became noteworthy after their 2001 Antitrust suit.

This is the correct answer. If minimum wages go up, the price of everything you buy with those wages increases as well, including housing. There's artificial scarcity in housing right now because of investment firms and property management firms.

You mean all the trackers and telemetry that can be shut off with O&O Shutup?