On 2005-11-25, Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> posted something concerning:
> __/ [Kleuskes & Moos] on Friday 25 November 2005 00:54 \__
>> It has been ported to the XBox. This is the X360...
>>
>> It'll be a month or six, I think, if the hardware is stable, keep an
>> eye on Slashdot.
>
> What would ever be the point of the port? Paying Microsoft for hardware
> that runs Linux? When I come to think of it, Microsoft tolerate losses on
> the X360 in hopes of making up for it through game sales.
>
> http://businessweek.com/technology/content/nov2005/tc20051122_410710.htm
>
> Think about it...
>
> Linux Nirvana and Microsoft budget drains at the same time...
>
> Suits me well and makes Linux an even more enjoyable ride...
One thing possibly wrong with this scenario. I used to agree with it.
But after thinking about it some more, I don't think I agree any more.
MICROS~1 claims to have a large base (larger than reality) of Windoze
users based on sales of what? Licenses. MICROS~1 forces lower prices on
licenses to OEMs how? By their buying volume.
They sell more licenses than they actually have users, and OEMs buy the
extras because it's cheaper. But the monopoly use the level of those
sales to leverage all sorts of things that help to extend their
monopoly position, including exclusive support from a lot of vendors.
They don't really care that much how some of the computers end up being
used. They aren't concerned if a part of those machine sales end up as
something other than Winders* as long as they aren't sold as anything
other than Winduhs machines. Yeah, they need to care publicly, and it
could cause long term problems if the level gets too high. But they can
tolerate the switches provided it doesn't undermine the illusion of
their being the powerhouse selling the most in-demand product line out
there.
If they can show a lot of sales of game machines, they can start
prodding games makers to support the hardware.** It won't matter if
they end up being linux machines or used for games. They just need a
lot of sales to start the ball rolling.
As more of vendors make more games available, the platform becomes more
popular to consumers, pushing machine sales figures higher, making the
platform more enticing to developers, becoming more attractive to
buyers, etc, etc and etc.
The ultimate game is to own it all, just like they've wanted to do on
the desktop and server.
This isn't a new game they're playing. It's the exact same game they've
played all along. They just took it to another playground.
* Except in cases where the software on the machine may be changed in
large numbers, like government offices or businesses. Much of that is
related to sales. But a hefty part of it relates to their ability to
coerce the target agencies to sign exclusive agreements to avoid
prosecution for "piracy", and to get files and documents into a form
that's expensive and/or impossible to switch from.
** I'm sure the ultimate goal is to kill off those same game companies,
just as they're beginning to work on doing to anti-vurus, anti-spyware
and other industries. But they'll be friendly as long as it takes to
get the conditions where they need them to be.
--
Welcome to Hell! Here's your copy of Windows.
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