The devs weren't, but

https://www.theregister.com/2001/06/02/ballmer_linux_is_a_ca...

Microsoft messaging was very clear at the time

Might want to schedule an appointment for a neurologist because acting like MSFT wasn't anti linux is revisionist history that borders on medical intervention.

I was there, too, and I remember all of the FUD from MS. I remember the Halloween documents, MS funding SCO’s lawsuit, etc. MS saw Linux as a threat, especially in the server space. The goal was to stomp it out, like they did to Netscape.