I think you folks forget a few things about Microsoft.
Number 1: Microsoft needs Apple...and to a certain but lesser extent Apple needs Microsoft. Apple is Microsoft's only "competition" in the PC industry. Face it.
Number 2: Microsoft wants to make money, and lots of it.
Number 2a: Microsoft *only* makes software for a reason. It doesn't hurt Microsoft at all to possibly canabalize PC sales so that they can sell more software. Thus, the thought that Microsoft will 'discontinue' VirtualPC is silly, if only because Microsoft sees that they can sell MORE copies of Windows to us Mac users-additionally charge more for it because they are also selling the emulator.
Number 3: IF Microsoft discontinues VPC it will 'look' very bad to the rest of the industry and possibly anyone still interested in pursuing anti-trust...it's the same with Microsoft's other software offerings.
Number 4: MacBU, I believe has done a wonderful job with the Macintosh versions of popular Microsoft products. Being someone that switches platforms frequently during the day MacBU's offerings are completely superior to their PC equivilents. It just goes to show you how far a small group of extremely talented people within Microsoft can make all the other parts look bad. I have faith in MacBU even if they do work for Microsoft.
Number 5: Microsoft didn't 'buy' VPC for the sake of buying VPC. What they wanted was Connectix's Virtual Machine technology. They wanted to integrate the ability to run multiple OSes within their Professional server line and also run legacy applications on newer OSes and hardware easily. Getting VirtualPC was just icing on the cake.
Number 6: There is no evidence to support the paranoid and pretty irrational theory that Microsoft 'bought' VirtualPC just to have a Fat Tony to twist Apple's arm. Microsoft stifles the industry, and has caused more destruction to the world than created-but don't always jump to conclusions.
I don't think it should be a big concern that Microsoft will 'kill' VirtualPC...and if it does FWB's announcement means we have alternatives. In addition we have Bochs, and the possibility of a variant of WINE being ported. We wont be left for dead, those of us who depend on compatibility and even the ability to sometimes start up Windows on our Macs.
Call me niave if you will. I think some of us are a little too paranoid. Then again, no one knows until it happens. So I can't say anything for sure and either can anybody else.
I am just going by what I know and by what logic and Microsoft's past moves would dictate.