Apache and the EFF have filed an amicus brief expressing support for Microsoft's case to revise existing patent rules.

Since the EFF and Apache are involved, you can be sure that the desired outcome is less protection for software patents.

Why would Microsoft be interested in less protection for software patents? In this case, it is because they are on the losing end: i4i is suing them for patent infringement, and keeps winning.

The specific protection is towards existing patents. Both sides agree that the burden to have a patent declared invalid should be lowered from "insane" to merely "ridiculous".