Why would Microsoft lose customers if they moved overseas? Sony isn't American. Nintendo isn't American. They do quite fine here.
Them being non-American doesn't affect American jobs. Either. Where as MS is American and would be saying "Fuck employing Americnas. We want to save money."
Sure, the government could threaten to stop using Windows, and that would take, what, 10 years to happen?
And affect, what, 5% of Microsoft's sales in the U.S.?
It's not just about the government's computers. It could have a knock-on effect where people interfacing with the gov migrate to
Linux as well. More so if the gov was sensible and started using formats like ODF.
The U.S. government has shown a willingness to grossly overstep its bounds in the way it makes demands
of companies, but they don't have much leverage if MS hasn't taken any "bailout" money, which they don't
and almost certainly won't for a decade or more. Honestly, the U.S. government needs Microsoft more than
Microsoft needs the government, and that's really sad. That monopoly conviction really stung, for all of
5 minutes.
The gov only needs MS to employ people and pay tax money. MS doesn't want to pay tax and if the skip out then it benefits
the gov to take the cheaper option(Linux) from a company that will employ Americans and pay tax.
It would serve the U.S. right if by having one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world it drives
the most successful, and therefore most revenue-generating companies abroad, and if that happened
Congress and the White House just sit there fuming and trying somehow to blame it on Bush.
As an American living in Europe it's amazing how businesses on both sides claim their government is fucking them over
on taxes and they threaten to do something about it. In reality they know fill well it makes sense to stay where they are.
That's why the government should stick with their plans and tell MS to piss off if they don't like it.
MS already sends jobs overseas. They don't have an issue with doing that. Do you honestly think if there was no benefit to being
in the US that they'd stay? They'll make some noise because it makes sense. No one wants to pay more tax than they have to but
when it comes down to it then they'll stay because they know that's what makes sense. So by calling their bluff the gov will
shut them up.
In this context it doesn't matter if it were Linux or Apple. If MS jumped ship and the gov decided to retaliate by dumping them then whether they chose Apple or Linux, it doesn't matter. In my mind Linux makes more sense since the gov has more access to modifying it which is why I choose that.
MS is on their second console. That's only one generation behind Sony. Which isn't that far off when MS has an assload of money to dump into the industry and a PC monopoly that can be very complementary and helpful.
The PS3 also has a higher price and fewer games. Despite the fact the 360 is as expensive, if not more, once you buy the add-ons to make it equal to the PS3, the initial price makes it look cheaper which benefits them.
You're right the 360 does have a good online offering. The best in fact minus the fact it has no browser which is yet another bonus so it should have had to work less to be number one. But they've been clearly over taken by the Wii which is ancient hardware with only a handful of decent games.
I don't think Blu-Ray was a clear benefit until after HD-DVD died. Mind you, MS implementing it as an add-on was dumb. Just like implementing wireless as an add-on was dumb, as was implementing hard-drives as hugely over priced proprietary hard drives was dumb.
Governments need to pass a law that states anyone selling DRM based media should have a plan in place so, if they go out of business, people who bought something from them won't lose their purchases.
I've been lucky to never lose one because I've always taken excellent care of them and since getting into digital music, any CD I buy is converted and then packed away never to be touched again so they're nothing more than a backup of my MP3s.
I could have worded it differently but aside from the US (and yes the UK, for now) the 360 is pretty much in 3rd place across the world even after a year's lead over the competition.
Microsoft never mentions this when they go on about how great their console is and yes, over all they have just under 7 million units more than Sony. But when you consider how many more games they have, they've been out a year early and have a cheaper system. It's not that impressive.
Their strength is really only in one market, the US, and if that market turns on them they're screwed.
This is compared to Nintendo who has had it rough for the past couple of generation and still managed to make a profit thanks to a better business plan and better support through out the whole world.
Even Sony isn't doing that bad considering how bad the gaming press paints their position but their superior support for all nations have paid off for them.
MS will never do it. American is their biggest friendliest market. Just look at the 360, outside of the US, it's pretty much a non-event and part of me think's America's love for MS has to do with patriotism.
MS does not have the balls to piss off their largest group of consumers and if they did, the government and turn around and start using a Linux distro developed by Americans (they should be doing this anyway) and MS will not go for that. They'd lose far more than they would by Obama fixing the tax loopholes.
So he can make empty threats all he wants. The gov should just tell him to fuck off to Ireland.
I agree with him but part of me thinks he's only saying that because Talk Talk is a cheap service and he'd easily change his mind if the government offered them a cheap or free solution to police their service.
In the end I guess it doesn't matter as long as he's on the sensible side but it would be nice to know he'll stay on the sensible side.
While the Nintendorks guy is wrong, Whisky can mean two things and it's cool that they've at least included the carriage and if they include the drinking, using only the spelling whiskey for the drink and whisky for the carriage is a good compromise. That and the game is developed by Americans and American whiskey includes the e so it's understandable why they would have opted for that.
World of goo is very fun and might have the same very basic premise, I wouldn't say this is anything like that. World of goo is about taking one known set of tools and using them over and over to get around physics. Scribblenauts is about trying to take anything to solve a problem.
But even if you could say Scribblenauts is exactly like World of goo, I say it's nice to have a few similar games for people, who like those games, to purchase and a clone of World of Goo is definitely better than yet another WWII shooter or yet another street racing game.
I'm surprised how little attention this received during E3. I'll definitely be ordering this if only to use it to prove you can solve all problems with poo.
Was a bit suprised that it seems like in the article he goes with Nintendo.. for me I think Sony and Microsoft showed technology that surpas anything Nintendo has.
That's a load of BS. With the Motion Plus addition, the Wii controller is every bit as accurate as the others. The only difference is it's an add-on.
No one company had surprising huge announcements. At least Nintendo's announcements are guaranteed to be quality (ie SM Galaxy) and Vitality Sensor is at least innovative and new to gaming.
Natal is not new or innovative. It's an Eye-Toy camera with a mic on it and it cna expect about as much success as the Eye Toy.
Microsoft unveils their Wii market grab Sega Activator clone which can, at best, only achieve Eye-toy like success.They unveil "awesome" facebook and twitter integration while not mentioning they have to do this because they're the only console without a browser and therefore lack the freedom and choice of the others.
Sony unveils a new PSP, something people have been talking about for nearly a year so it's not be surprise and they unveil a load of predictable games. Anyone really surprised that there are Gran Turismo games on the way? We're still waiting on Rockstar's first PS3 exclusive, so don't hold your breath for Agent.
Nintendo does enough just to get by. They don't have to try because they earn so much money they don't have to try. But they annouce new Mario games and we hear that a Zelda game is in the works. Again any real surprise?
Imo, Nintendo did win it closely followed by Sony. They all had predictable boring, uninspired announcements. But you know the new Mario Galaxy game will kick ass. So at least they get bonus points for quality predictability.
MS is the loser, imo, no decent games announcements and the worst motion control of the lot.
Instead of charging everyone $0.15 per month to protect children, why not charge $15 per month to let the pedos abuse children. I think that's better than someone without kids and no intention of having kids to pay to ease some dimwitted parent's fears.
I think you'll find that people have wised up and don't buy into that junk anymore.
As far as who's hurting for money? It's certainly not publishers or develoeprs. If failures like 3DRealms can produce fuck all for over a decade and Romero can buy eastern European wives and sports cards while not really doing anything of interest since Quake 1. I think it's pretty safe to say these people aren't struggling for money and can do without used games money.
If publishers wouldn't give shops no profit on the console hardware and minimal profits on new software that is hard to sell because it's all the same and pretty much only caters to one demographic then shops wouldn't have to find profit elsewhere.
The fault lies directly with the publisher and them getting money for used games (which they had no part in anyway) is wrong.
Will they take a loss when a used game is returned? They do their best to stop new games from being return which means they store won't take it back and the consumer is left with a buggy $60 piece of software. How is that fair?
Let's see, the companies that make rehashes of the same games and give us bug filled games at a higher price than the previous generation feel they deserve money from used games?
I don't think so.
If they want to increase their revenue they have to make games that are actually worth $60 or lower the price.
If you put out a game of little value that is broken then how in the world can you expect consumers to value your game? They'll want to pay as little as possible because there is no perceived benefit in paying a premium for the content.
The gaming industry is less professional and in a worse state than they'd like to admit and no matter how often they boast about their numbers in relation to movies that isn't going to change.
Publishers do no get money from used comics, books, movies or music. Why in earth do they feel they deserve money for used games?
I think it'll always be that way as long as the PC market is based around making software for future hardware rather than optimising for current hardware.
That and people like new shiny things which Apple is taking full advantage of.
Back when I had my first Palm Pilot and the modem was a dial-up modem it was unrealistic to view the internet any other way than to sync up a load of content to take with you.
These days that's just backwards and unnecessary. So I'm not surprised they're giving it up.
Their service was awesome years ago and I was very grateful for it.
I think you'll find most people aren't gamers, aren't Photoshop users and actually do just use their computer for communication and watching videos. Ubuntu will do what most people want but it's different and having to learn, for example, how to use Pidgin over MSN or AIM is too much for some people.
Slashdot Mirror
Why would Microsoft lose customers if they moved overseas? Sony isn't American. Nintendo isn't American. They do quite fine here.
Them being non-American doesn't affect American jobs. Either. Where as MS is American and would be saying "Fuck employing Americnas. We want to save money."
Sure, the government could threaten to stop using Windows, and that would take, what, 10 years to happen? And affect, what, 5% of Microsoft's sales in the U.S.?
It's not just about the government's computers. It could have a knock-on effect where people interfacing with the gov migrate to Linux as well. More so if the gov was sensible and started using formats like ODF.
The U.S. government has shown a willingness to grossly overstep its bounds in the way it makes demands of companies, but they don't have much leverage if MS hasn't taken any "bailout" money, which they don't and almost certainly won't for a decade or more. Honestly, the U.S. government needs Microsoft more than Microsoft needs the government, and that's really sad. That monopoly conviction really stung, for all of 5 minutes.
The gov only needs MS to employ people and pay tax money. MS doesn't want to pay tax and if the skip out then it benefits the gov to take the cheaper option(Linux) from a company that will employ Americans and pay tax.
It would serve the U.S. right if by having one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world it drives the most successful, and therefore most revenue-generating companies abroad, and if that happened Congress and the White House just sit there fuming and trying somehow to blame it on Bush.
As an American living in Europe it's amazing how businesses on both sides claim their government is fucking them over on taxes and they threaten to do something about it. In reality they know fill well it makes sense to stay where they are. That's why the government should stick with their plans and tell MS to piss off if they don't like it.
MS already sends jobs overseas. They don't have an issue with doing that. Do you honestly think if there was no benefit to being in the US that they'd stay? They'll make some noise because it makes sense. No one wants to pay more tax than they have to but when it comes down to it then they'll stay because they know that's what makes sense. So by calling their bluff the gov will shut them up.
In this context it doesn't matter if it were Linux or Apple. If MS jumped ship and the gov decided to retaliate by dumping them then whether they chose Apple or Linux, it doesn't matter. In my mind Linux makes more sense since the gov has more access to modifying it which is why I choose that.
MS is on their second console. That's only one generation behind Sony. Which isn't that far off when MS has an assload of money to dump into the industry and a PC monopoly that can be very complementary and helpful.
The PS3 also has a higher price and fewer games. Despite the fact the 360 is as expensive, if not more, once you buy the add-ons to make it equal to the PS3, the initial price makes it look cheaper which benefits them.
You're right the 360 does have a good online offering. The best in fact minus the fact it has no browser which is yet another bonus so it should have had to work less to be number one. But they've been clearly over taken by the Wii which is ancient hardware with only a handful of decent games.
I don't think Blu-Ray was a clear benefit until after HD-DVD died. Mind you, MS implementing it as an add-on was dumb. Just like implementing wireless as an add-on was dumb, as was implementing hard-drives as hugely over priced proprietary hard drives was dumb.
Governments need to pass a law that states anyone selling DRM based media should have a plan in place so, if they go out of business, people who bought something from them won't lose their purchases.
I've been lucky to never lose one because I've always taken excellent care of them and since getting into digital music, any CD I buy is converted and then packed away never to be touched again so they're nothing more than a backup of my MP3s.
10.2 after a year lead vs the PS3's 10.5 million in less time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_3#Sales_and_production_costs
I could have worded it differently but aside from the US (and yes the UK, for now) the 360 is pretty much in 3rd place across the world even after a year's lead over the competition.
Microsoft never mentions this when they go on about how great their console is and yes, over all they have just under 7 million units more than Sony. But when you consider how many more games they have, they've been out a year early and have a cheaper system. It's not that impressive.
Their strength is really only in one market, the US, and if that market turns on them they're screwed.
This is compared to Nintendo who has had it rough for the past couple of generation and still managed to make a profit thanks to a better business plan and better support through out the whole world.
Even Sony isn't doing that bad considering how bad the gaming press paints their position but their superior support for all nations have paid off for them.
Then don't play it. I, on the other hand, will enjoy it.
MS will never do it. American is their biggest friendliest market. Just look at the 360, outside of the US, it's pretty much a non-event and part of me think's America's love for MS has to do with patriotism.
MS does not have the balls to piss off their largest group of consumers and if they did, the government and turn around and start using a Linux distro developed by Americans (they should be doing this anyway) and MS will not go for that. They'd lose far more than they would by Obama fixing the tax loopholes.
So he can make empty threats all he wants. The gov should just tell him to fuck off to Ireland.
I agree with him but part of me thinks he's only saying that because Talk Talk is a cheap service and he'd easily change his mind if the government offered them a cheap or free solution to police their service.
In the end I guess it doesn't matter as long as he's on the sensible side but it would be nice to know he'll stay on the sensible side.
While the Nintendorks guy is wrong, Whisky can mean two things and it's cool that they've at least included the carriage and if they include the drinking, using only the spelling whiskey for the drink and whisky for the carriage is a good compromise. That and the game is developed by Americans and American whiskey includes the e so it's understandable why they would have opted for that.
World of goo is very fun and might have the same very basic premise, I wouldn't say this is anything like that. World of goo is about taking one known set of tools and using them over and over to get around physics. Scribblenauts is about trying to take anything to solve a problem.
But even if you could say Scribblenauts is exactly like World of goo, I say it's nice to have a few similar games for people, who like those games, to purchase and a clone of World of Goo is definitely better than yet another WWII shooter or yet another street racing game.
Unless of course Chuck Norris has a copyright on his own name then he won't be in there. Otherwise he better be in there.
I'm surprised how little attention this received during E3. I'll definitely be ordering this if only to use it to prove you can solve all problems with poo.
I have used Visual Studio and got bored with it. Point & Click programming isn't cool.
Was a bit suprised that it seems like in the article he goes with Nintendo.. for me I think Sony and Microsoft showed technology that surpas anything Nintendo has.
That's a load of BS. With the Motion Plus addition, the Wii controller is every bit as accurate as the others. The only difference is it's an add-on.
No one company had surprising huge announcements. At least Nintendo's announcements are guaranteed to be quality (ie SM Galaxy) and Vitality Sensor is at least innovative and new to gaming.
Natal is not new or innovative. It's an Eye-Toy camera with a mic on it and it cna expect about as much success as the Eye Toy.
Microsoft unveils their Wii market grab Sega Activator clone which can, at best, only achieve Eye-toy like success.They unveil "awesome" facebook and twitter integration while not mentioning they have to do this because they're the only console without a browser and therefore lack the freedom and choice of the others.
Sony unveils a new PSP, something people have been talking about for nearly a year so it's not be surprise and they unveil a load of predictable games. Anyone really surprised that there are Gran Turismo games on the way? We're still waiting on Rockstar's first PS3 exclusive, so don't hold your breath for Agent.
Nintendo does enough just to get by. They don't have to try because they earn so much money they don't have to try. But they annouce new Mario games and we hear that a Zelda game is in the works. Again any real surprise?
Imo, Nintendo did win it closely followed by Sony. They all had predictable boring, uninspired announcements. But you know the new Mario Galaxy game will kick ass. So at least they get bonus points for quality predictability.
MS is the loser, imo, no decent games announcements and the worst motion control of the lot.
Instead of charging everyone $0.15 per month to protect children, why not charge $15 per month to let the pedos abuse children. I think that's better than someone without kids and no intention of having kids to pay to ease some dimwitted parent's fears.
I think you'll find that people have wised up and don't buy into that junk anymore.
As far as who's hurting for money? It's certainly not publishers or develoeprs. If failures like 3DRealms can produce fuck all for over a decade and Romero can buy eastern European wives and sports cards while not really doing anything of interest since Quake 1. I think it's pretty safe to say these people aren't struggling for money and can do without used games money.
They do that because they don't get much profit in the first place and they happen to have bills to pay themselves.
If publishers wouldn't give shops no profit on the console hardware and minimal profits on new software that is hard to sell because it's all the same and pretty much only caters to one demographic then shops wouldn't have to find profit elsewhere.
The fault lies directly with the publisher and them getting money for used games (which they had no part in anyway) is wrong.
Will they take a loss when a used game is returned? They do their best to stop new games from being return which means they store won't take it back and the consumer is left with a buggy $60 piece of software. How is that fair?
Let's see, the companies that make rehashes of the same games and give us bug filled games at a higher price than the previous generation feel they deserve money from used games?
I don't think so.
If they want to increase their revenue they have to make games that are actually worth $60 or lower the price.
If you put out a game of little value that is broken then how in the world can you expect consumers to value your game? They'll want to pay as little as possible because there is no perceived benefit in paying a premium for the content.
The gaming industry is less professional and in a worse state than they'd like to admit and no matter how often they boast about their numbers in relation to movies that isn't going to change.
Publishers do no get money from used comics, books, movies or music. Why in earth do they feel they deserve money for used games?
I think it'll always be that way as long as the PC market is based around making software for future hardware rather than optimising for current hardware. That and people like new shiny things which Apple is taking full advantage of.
Microsoft has enjoyed abusing it's power and not it's on the receiving end of governments abusing their power. They deserve this.
Back when I had my first Palm Pilot and the modem was a dial-up modem it was unrealistic to view the internet any other way than to sync up a load of content to take with you.
These days that's just backwards and unnecessary. So I'm not surprised they're giving it up.
Their service was awesome years ago and I was very grateful for it.
I think you'll find most people aren't gamers, aren't Photoshop users and actually do just use their computer for communication and watching videos. Ubuntu will do what most people want but it's different and having to learn, for example, how to use Pidgin over MSN or AIM is too much for some people.