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What Happens To The X-Box If Microsoft Is Split?

Posted by Cliff on from the might-its-fate-be-limbo? dept.

Lerc asks: "If Microsoft is to be split up into OS and a non-OS Companies, what happens to the XBox? The XBox is not an operating system, so does that mean the non-OS company gets it? What operating system will it run? Currently the XBox is described as running a version of windows specifically designed for the XBox, but isn't preventing this type of tight binding the entire point of the split. Michael Abrash says "the DX 8 specification is an excellent reference for the chip, especially the new components". An interesting question. I would think that since the X-Box is a platform in and of itself, that it would go with the OS Group. What do you think?

"There are plenty of rumors and speculation about the demise of OpenGL because of the XBox. This at least shows peoples' concerns about Microsoft getting back into the anti-competitive ball game. Will they do it? Should they be given the opportunity?

If the Xbox were to be deemed OS like enough to be bundled into the OS company, you get into a whole mess regarding the games. It is traditional in the console industry to sell the console cheaply and make the money off of the games. Surely the OS business couldn't get into selling other software immediately. It would be ridiculous to allow one company to sell the XBox at a loss and for the other to make money off of the games."

2 of 19 comments (clear)

  1. X-Box goes to MS-Apps, Windows to MS-OS by Phroggy · · Score: 3
    The Final Judgement is pretty clear, I think. MS-OS (Windows, Inc. led by CEO Steve Ballmer) gets operating systems, and MS-Apps (Microsoft, Inc. led by CEO Bill Gates) gets everything else. The X-Box is not an operating system. It uses an operating system, and MS-Apps can license that operating system from MS-OS, but MS-Apps will own the X-Box.

    What's scary is that MS-Apps will probably also own Direct X, which they'll somehow tie in with Internet Explorer and MSN and Office and Microsoft.NET and everything else but Windows.

    --

    --
    $x='S24;r)>63/* h@<5+oZ)32"5cz';$me='phroggy'x$];
    $x=~y+ -xz+\0-Tx+;print$_^chop$me for split'',$x;
  2. And what about.. by Rob+Kaper · · Score: 3
    And what about..
    • the MS joysticks/mice/keyboards being hardware?
    • MS's share in the cable network?
    • MSN being application nor OS but a service?

    I never got the two-part split up. If apps gets everything but the OS then there's still a big company that will integrate Office, IE, DirectX, MS-Java^H^H^H^H^H^H^HC#, IIS, ASP, services, MSN and paperclips. I believe Apps will be a lot stronger than OS.

    On the other hand - bare OS might have to deliver some good stuff to stay alive. And finally include a zip/unzip utility by default for example.

    Seems like this MS break-up debate will probably be endless, but so will the procedure be. Don't expect any change the next few years.