Comments on Ed Borden: Mega-Irony: Microsoft Digs Up Apple's 25 Year Old ...

I could not agree more. The sad reality is that XB...

2010-01-21T01:02:12.403-05:00

I could not agree more. The sad reality is that XBOX 360 consoles are really having issues with the hardware inside them. I have personally experienced a comically large list of problems: (3) 3 red lights 0020, (2) with disc read error e74, (2) DOA with error e64, several with random audio and video-related issues and one that actually exploded with a faulty PSU. and yet am still (well not entirely) commited due to the investment in time and money. I did find this guide: xbox 360 error code fix

Xbox with expansion cards? hmm... sound a lot like...

2009-03-16T15:21:00.000-04:00

Xbox with expansion cards? hmm... sound a lot like.. like.. OH LIKE A PC!!! @Glack I disagree with you. Xbox is sabotaging not only its own business but the entire PC gaming business. Let's face it today's gaming PCs are almost entirely based and dependent on Microsoft (the OS, direct x, et al), that is why they should be the ones getting behind PCs for gaming and not trying to compete with consoles down on their level. Wake up!

@Glack - While Gates did talk about expansion card...

2009-03-01T12:30:00.000-05:00

@Glack - While Gates did talk about expansion cards in his memo, I'm not necessarily insinuating the XBox should have expansion cards (although I wouldn't count it out). I'm saying that the overall business model is flawed -- that is, a closed platform that only Microsoft can add value to. This is a new way of doing business specific to Robbie Bach's group that doesn't fit with what Microsoft is good at.

As far as consumers are concerned, much of consumers probably don't care about performance over, say, game experience. However, they probably DO care about not having to deal with RROD, and they DO care about having options such as Blu-Ray, Bluetooth, capacity, whatever.

And as far as your last point, Microsoft has been spending money in the console business for 8+ years now, and they've yet to make a dime at it. There was a better way to do it.

Consumers who are interested in buying relatively ...

2009-03-01T12:10:00.000-05:00

Consumers who are interested in buying relatively expensive accessories (that is, expansion cards - I'm not talking about cellphone skins) are hobbyists. 95% of consumers are not hobbyists. An open Xbox would lead to a more powerful Xbox, for the hobbyists, but consumers don't care. Game developers hate expansion devices, having to manage drivers and multiple platforms built into the same platform - closed-ness is a major benefit of consoles, for both developers and consumers.

The points about Microsoft sabotaging its own business are silly; Xbox isn't the only console and it's better from the Microsoft perspective to be there and make money than not be there and lose money.

Heh, Steam makes the entire console business model...

2009-02-26T17:57:00.000-05:00

Heh, Steam makes the entire console business model seem silly. Valve eliminated two middlemen: hardware and B&M.

Steam has about 20 million users. So does the PS3. I'm willing to bet that the PS3 brings in more revenue than Steam, but Valve didn't (and won't) have to spend billions of dollars to reach those 20 million customers. When Sony and MS have to pony up a shitload of money to make their next consoles, Valve will still be cruising along with essentially the same platform. Even if you can't stand Steam, you have to give Valve some credit for pulling that off. Valve's evil plan is to have Steam on every laptop and PC possible, so their long-term growth potential is excellent.

Microsoft missed the boat because Steam essentially accomplishes the same thing as the Xbox (money from every game sold) but for a fraction of the cost. Their consolation prize is that Steam keeps people tied to Windows, which is quickly becoming irrelevant for everything except gaming.

One thing I've noticed about PC gaming: ROI can be orders of magnitude higher than anything currently possible on the consoles. Steam and WoW prove that. Hell, even Sins of a Solar Empire has a better return-on-investment than most AAA games.

There is only one problem with this theory, Micros...

2009-02-26T17:56:00.000-05:00

There is only one problem with this theory, Microsoft is bringing in more money on Xbox games than it ever would have with any PC related scheme. Plus, a lot of this crapola gets ported over to the PC where another 20% or so can be made.

Excellent points and I could not have said it bett...

2009-02-26T17:48:00.000-05:00

Excellent points and I could not have said it better.

As far as entrenched in the living room, folks lets be real! The only one who can maybe claim that is Nintendo with the Wii. Seriously, the 360, or PS3, have no where near the same footprint, so get real and accept that MS has no dominance in the living room. If anything they are loosing it as quickly as any of it came.

This was more of a post about a neat irony that Bi...

2009-02-26T13:03:00.000-05:00

This was more of a post about a neat irony that Bill wrote such a relevant memo to Apple 25 years ago. Any "point" about the XBox I've already written about before.

Yes, I think MS has done a good job of getting XBox into the living room and having a presence there. But what's the point? Is Microsoft really benefiting from having this monstrous business entity that drains resources (still not out of the red, not by a long shot) and doesn't contribute to their greater business (software development)? It's like Sony deciding that they want to get into the client operating system business, just because there's so much money in it.

They will not be entrenched for long on the PC side. Between Linux, Apple, and devices like the PS3, set-top boxes, MID's, growing importance of browsers/cloud computing, etc, Microsoft has a fight on their hands. Why does anyone NEED to have Windows anymore? What can I ONLY run on Windows?

This article makes no sense and should be rewritte...

2009-02-26T12:49:00.000-05:00

This article makes no sense and should be rewritten.

What are your points?

MS goals with the 360 are to establish dominance in the livingroom. I think their execution has been inline with this goal. I think it has been pretty effective. As far as convergence - MS has completed plenty of initiatives to grant 360 users access to media from their PC, streaming media and so on.

Their PC goal is to continue dominance on the PC platform. I think they are pretty entrenched here. Sure Apple is doing some good things, but its just competition, not disruption to the status quo.

As far as the goal of an open development platform in the living room, wether this is an intrinsic good or not, I don't think that is a MS goal. And I also think that users appreciate the protection and consistency of a closed platform in the living room: Kids, grandparents and wives, and all.