Microsoft seem to be doing a lot of buying up and shutting down recently. Obviously can't compete on a level playing field.

I wonder if all these "Linux Patent protection" deals are part of a similar strategy to buy up and shut down Linux?

Its just the the usual MS policy of buying in anything interesting. Lets be honest, as a software company thats what they have done since the days of DOS, original ideas/innovation have always been aquired rather than created in-house.