Them trying to repair their image and doing what people want should be complimented regardless of motivation.

Praise seems a... strong word. o.O

Is it good that they did all this stuff? Yeah, sure! =D

But praise usually should be reserved either for something that is genuinely altruistic, (which neither company is likely to provide,) or at least something that's unexpected, pleasantly creative, and adds positivity instead of simply cancelling out negativity. A lot of what Microsoft did was, well, remove negatives... which is great, sure, but when it comes to praise, better instead to introduce something that adds to the strengths of the platform, rather than just removing its weaknesses. The policy reversal, Kinect unbundling, loosening of paywall restrictions, re-jiggering of insane indie publishing policies, all of that is GOOD, but it's fixing problems that Microsoft created in the first place. =P Even pricing deals, free games, etc, are just lessening that universal negative point; price of entry.

What Microsoft might need to do is create something a little more unusual, a new initiative or program that's all their own, one that sets the platform apart and makes it more attractive. Even Sony's PS+ during the PS3 era was a pretty interesting way not just to add value to the platform, but also to try and encourage more digital transactions by getting people accustomed to the idea of having digital copies of titles. Even if you never took advantage of a single PS+ discount on the Store, the free games alone means you'd be used to the whole No-Disc-Games shindig, and increase the chances you'd use that store more frequently. Even if you only had the subscription and never bought a game, you'd accumulate new content, some of it quite sizable, making the very act of owning the platform desirable. Got to say, I hear more praise about PS+ than I do about Sony price dropping the console. xP

Ironically, the old Xbox One policies could have been that... Microsoft's catastrophic failure was not making it an opt-in program, thus coaxing users to it, and instead deciding to just make it a blanket policy. That was an abysmal mistake.

(EA Access, in this case, doesn't count; it'd need to be something Sony couldn't simply add to their roster if it got popular enough. Given the program is also available in Europe, there's virtually no chance EA will refuse a chance to get on the platform that leads that region, if the opportunity arises.)

praise is too strong.  they dont really deserve anything to be honest

Their situation and Sony's last gen are completely different. Sony put a new format which was expensive into the platform but it hiked up the price. MS was about the drag everyone to DRM Hell with them.

They do try to make the Xbox One a "good" console by getting exclusive DLC ,content, etc (and exclusive games). If it worked for the 360, who's to say it won't do any good for the XB1? Yes the DRM put a damper on their rep, but at least they reversed it because it shows that they DO listen to customers despite what some people believe. 

As for China, the XB1 has DRM there to curb piracy. They aren't trying to go back to the original plan, and they are better off putting DRM on the console than facing the same issues that Sony faced with the PS2 (read: piracy). It's a China thing, not a MS thing, and Nintendo took a similar measure with their iQue Player. 

if they wanted to makeit a good console they would actually make games instead of just wasting money on DLC and time exclusive nonsense, but thats just me. Now on to the topic at hand. No it doesnt show they listen to customers, because if they did they would have NEVER even tried in the first place. 

The way i see, the consumers (even the casuals) deserve to be praised for their right reaction to that BS that was XONE original plan.

Screw the Companies.

They do make games (Sunset Overdrive, Project Spark, Quantum Break, Scalebound, etc.). Just because they don't make 99 new IPs in a generation doesn't mean they don't make games. 

They put DRM on the console becuase most publishers were trying to combat used games. EA, Ubisoft, Activision, Square Enix, and Sony ALL had online passes at some point. Capcom had the whole RE: Mercenaries 3D debacle. Microsoft didn't put DRM on the XB1 for themselves, they did it because it appeared that the industry was moving in that direction for better or worse. Heck, Sony filed a patent that had to do with DRM, so they may have been planning something as well.  The E3 2013 backlash stopped that in it's tracks. 

Hell to the no. They shouldn't have done those things in the first place. I still don't understand people defending Microsoft by doing that. Heck, there's a reason I'm begging my dad to buy me a Wii U instead of an X1.