This may seem like a small potato to some however this is a classic move by Microsoft. Now they not only own the game company, they own distribution. This just took the game away from SONY and other consoles. I am asking myself, when will people realize what is going on? When Microsoft buys the Laura Croft EIDOS company? Remember the term "Killer App". It is a well-known fact that certain titles can alone inspire someone to buy one platform over another. Those who own and create such titles have been rewarded with large profits when sharing these titles not just with the console market, but also with the PC and Mac communities. Laura Croft for example is available for SONY, the PC and Macintosh. Sony's hold on the game for the console market ended recently and the SEGA Dreamcast is getting a new version of the game for their console. This is much needed for SEGA to survive. SONY is making around 40% of the company profits from the PlayStation itself, and the PlayStation II should follow suite. Sony and Microsoft have been nice together, hence the Sony Metreon in San Francisco. What happens when Microsoft starts to play in Sony's backyard? I have a real problem with Microsoft owning not just the console, but the games that go with it, as well as the distribution. Kind of like a company that would own the operating system, and the software that runs on it. Such a company would have a strong influence on the distribution aspects of the console. What is next Microsoft? Do you plan on buying up the local retailer or are you simply going to strong-arm electronic boutique and everyone else into doing exactly what you want. Maybe selling the console with a special bundle gets you a lower price, or if you don't sell certain worthless titles with killer app games you get neither. What will Microsoft do next? Personal, I don't need to wait. It is clear to me as it should be to everyone else what Microsoft's game is. Own the console, own the game company, and the distribution. I was seriously considering buying an X-BOX. Not any more. I would also say that we as a people have the biggest responsibility of all. That is to vote, and to that end we should vote, with our dollar. I will not purchase the XBOX from Microsoft. I hope everyone reading this will let Microsoft know how you feel. Microsoft has a nasty habit of keeping competitors at arms length. See how Microsoft gives us Office 2001 instead of releasing Office 2000 for the PC and Mac at the same time. I am well aware of the scam. They hope to buy us off with Mac only features to keep the holy war going strong when they are the reason the war exists in the first place. Why can't people freely choose to use a Macintosh in the office? Why, because it is never 100% compatible. Outlook is joke compared to the Microsoft version of Outlook 2000 and how it functions with Exchange servers. Now that we are no longer a threat, and 4 years have past, Microsoft is writing a compatible version. How many offices will switch to Macintosh now? Gee, I can think of ZERO. The game purchase is the same. Even if they allow the release to other platforms, it will be in the same manor that Microsoft holds Apple in. You'll get it...eventually. Not before the media has hyped the game to kingdom come and all our kids, young adults and adults have given in to purchase the game on the exclusive X-BOX. Your ability to choose is being taken away from you. One way or another you are going to be forced to use PC technology. Intel chips, etc. Microsoft and Intel want this. Even if you believe the PowerPC is better, or the SH4 is better or even the MIPS10000. It will not matter. Developers well why learn anything else? Developers should become Intel experts because that is all that will matter going forward right? Is that the world we want to live in? The court of appeals sure seam to be in someone's back pocket. Microsoft should be a little worried but doesn't show it at all. Kind of like someone has an ACE up his sleeve. Why would we believe that? After all, Microsoft only has $20,000,000,000 in cash reserves. It's not like you can buy off a judge or two with $20,000,000,000 right? Microsoft needs to be torn in two (at least). The Supreme Court needs to take action. Our legal system needs to recognize the obvious. Microsoft is doing it all over again. Just my 2 cents... Alex
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This may seem like a small potato to some however this is a classic move by Microsoft. Now they not only own the game company, they own distribution. This just took the game away from SONY and other consoles. I am asking myself, when will people realize what is going on? When Microsoft buys the Laura Croft EIDOS company? Remember the term "Killer App". It is a well-known fact that certain titles can alone inspire someone to buy one platform over another. Those who own and create such titles have been rewarded with large profits when sharing these titles not just with the console market, but also with the PC and Mac communities. Laura Croft for example is available for SONY, the PC and Macintosh. Sony's hold on the game for the console market ended recently and the SEGA Dreamcast is getting a new version of the game for their console. This is much needed for SEGA to survive. SONY is making around 40% of the company profits from the PlayStation itself, and the PlayStation II should follow suite. Sony and Microsoft have been nice together, hence the Sony Metreon in San Francisco. What happens when Microsoft starts to play in Sony's backyard? I have a real problem with Microsoft owning not just the console, but the games that go with it, as well as the distribution. Kind of like a company that would own the operating system, and the software that runs on it. Such a company would have a strong influence on the distribution aspects of the console. What is next Microsoft? Do you plan on buying up the local retailer or are you simply going to strong-arm electronic boutique and everyone else into doing exactly what you want. Maybe selling the console with a special bundle gets you a lower price, or if you don't sell certain worthless titles with killer app games you get neither. What will Microsoft do next? Personal, I don't need to wait. It is clear to me as it should be to everyone else what Microsoft's game is. Own the console, own the game company, and the distribution. I was seriously considering buying an X-BOX. Not any more. I would also say that we as a people have the biggest responsibility of all. That is to vote, and to that end we should vote, with our dollar. I will not purchase the XBOX from Microsoft. I hope everyone reading this will let Microsoft know how you feel. Microsoft has a nasty habit of keeping competitors at arms length. See how Microsoft gives us Office 2001 instead of releasing Office 2000 for the PC and Mac at the same time. I am well aware of the scam. They hope to buy us off with Mac only features to keep the holy war going strong when they are the reason the war exists in the first place. Why can't people freely choose to use a Macintosh in the office? Why, because it is never 100% compatible. Outlook is joke compared to the Microsoft version of Outlook 2000 and how it functions with Exchange servers. Now that we are no longer a threat, and 4 years have past, Microsoft is writing a compatible version. How many offices will switch to Macintosh now? Gee, I can think of ZERO. The game purchase is the same. Even if they allow the release to other platforms, it will be in the same manor that Microsoft holds Apple in. You'll get it...eventually. Not before the media has hyped the game to kingdom come and all our kids, young adults and adults have given in to purchase the game on the exclusive X-BOX. Your ability to choose is being taken away from you. One way or another you are going to be forced to use PC technology. Intel chips, etc. Microsoft and Intel want this. Even if you believe the PowerPC is better, or the SH4 is better or even the MIPS10000. It will not matter. Developers well why learn anything else? Developers should become Intel experts because that is all that will matter going forward right? Is that the world we want to live in? The court of appeals sure seam to be in someone's back pocket. Microsoft should be a little worried but doesn't show it at all. Kind of like someone has an ACE up his sleeve. Why would we believe that? After all, Microsoft only has $20,000,000,000 in cash reserves. It's not like you can buy off a judge or two with $20,000,000,000 right? Microsoft needs to be torn in two (at least). The Supreme Court needs to take action. Our legal system needs to recognize the obvious. Microsoft is doing it all over again. Just my 2 cents... Alex