If you actually talk to the developers of Windows XP, they actually aren't arrogant assholes like you make them out to be. Their goal in life is to produce the best operating system on the planet, and they actually value your input. They code with a personal goal in mind: to produce a good secure OS.
Considering it is on 95% of the world's desktop computers, I'd say they've done a pretty good fuckin' job.
Those are the kind of developers that get paid $$$, that develop an OS as something they enjoy.
Compared to the developers of Linux, that develop it in their spare time and live off of donations, they make a boltload more, and have the funding to keep Windows alive for eons to come, even if nobody buys it!