The biggest problem M$ will have in a patent fight is that they will be forced to reveal their own code base.

Not true. If MS claim to hold a patent that is being infringed then all they need to do is point to their registration and indicate where they think the infringement is. They don't need to show any of their code demonstrating that they implemented it (that would be a copyright claim). The whole patent process is public. If you want to try to invalidate MS patents, then you can look them up and start looking for prior art, obviousness etc. The actual invalidation process will likely cost you money, but the research you can do yourself. I think Tim O'Reilly offered a bounty for doing this a while back.