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[...still catching up with Microsoft stuff...]
- From Vista to Zune: Why Microsoft Can’t Sell to Consumers
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft’s marketing of Windows Vista and the Zune have failed in large part
| due to the fact that Microsoft has not learned how to effectively sell
| consumer products. Consumers buy Windows and Office, but that’s because they
| have no choice, not because of the company’s marketing savvy. Microsoft only
| effectively markets its products to businesses, which represents a very
| different type of sales relationship.
`----
http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/05/12/from-vista-to-zune-why-microsoft-cant-sell-to-consumers/
In conclusion, when Microsoft cannot /force/ people to buy something (a
violation of the law anyway), then people don't buy.
More on DRM:
EA drops draconian DRM
,----[ Quote ]
| EA has 'fessed up and Bioware, maker of Mass Effect, said:"We made this
| decision to ensure we are delivering the best possible experience," although
| we suspect that the standard Securom software now included isn't exactly a
| breeze, either.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/05/12/ea-drops-draconian-drm
Recent:
EFF: Microsoft betrayed MSN Music customers
,----[ Quote ]
| The Electronic Frontier Foundation says that Microsoft has "betrayed" MSN
| Music customers and wants the company to make things right by issuing an
| apology, refunds, and eliminate digital rights management technology from the
| Zune music player.
`----
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9931304-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20
MSN Music Debacle Highlights EULA Dangers
,----[ Quote ]
| MSN Music’s EULA is a case in point. When active, MSN Music's webpage touted
| that customers could “choose their device and know its going to work”.
|
| But when customers went to purchase songs, they were shown legalese that
| stated the download service and the content provided were sold without
| warrantee. In other words, Microsoft doesn't promise you that the service or
| the music will work, or that you will always have access to music you bought.
| The flashy advertising promised your music, your way, but the fine print
| said, our way or the highway.
`----
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/05/msn-music-debacle-highlights-eula-dangers
When DRM detonates your music collection
,----[ Quote ]
| It is all down to the digital rights management (DRM) software that Microsoft
| has embedded in all its music downloads to combat illegal file-sharing. For
| DRM to work it needs a central computer to keep a live record of who has
| registered which songs to which computers. The problem is that the main
| server is now being turned off as the company wants to sell downloads with a
| new type of DRM. How odd that the old system was marketed as PlaysForSure.
`----
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article3898784.ece
Related:
Microsoft Vista Waster
,----[ Quote ]
| Computer and software manufacturers have turned computers from a convenient
| tool to a means of dictating to us what to buy next.
`----
http://flyingimam.blogspot.com/2007/09/microsoft-vista-waster.html
Why the Unbundling Windows Sceptics are Wrong
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft has introduced a number of measures in recent versions of Windows
| which are designed to stop piracy of Windows. In effect, they have provided
| their own answer to this question.
`----
http://www.cybersource.com.au/users/conz/why_the_unbundling_windows_sceptics_are_wrong.html
Users split over naked PCs
,----[ Quote ]
| The high cost to business of having Windows pre-installed on PCs was
| certainly an issue for ZDNet.co.uk's sister site silicon.com's CIO Jury.
| Three-quarters of the jury backed calls for naked PCs, not only to foster
| diversity in operating systems but also to bring down costs.
|
| On the business side, several reader comments point to the fact many
| companies do not use pre-installed operating systems but rather choose to
| install a "standard image" on each machine. By starting from a naked PC,
| businesses would at least save time (due to not having to delete the existing
| installation), if not cash too, they said.
`----
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/0,1000000121,39289744,00.htm?r=2
Are 'naked PCs' good for businesses?
,----[ Quote ]
| Three-quarters of silicon.com's 12-strong CIO Jury IT director panel have now
| backed that call for naked PCs, although the argument is far from
| straightforward.
`----
http://news.zdnet.com/2424-9595_22-167353.html
Unbundling Microsoft Windows
,----[ Quote ]
| Computers in the European Union should be sold without a bundled operating
| system, according to this submission to the European Commission. It says that
| the bundling of Microsoft Windows with computers is not in the public
| interest, and prevents meaningful competition in the operating system market.
`----
http://www.globalisation.eu/briefings/competition-policy/unbundling-microsoft-windows-200709231241/
Free-market think tank urges EU to unbundle Windows
,----[ Quote ]
| The Globalisation Institute, a European think-tank run by free market
| advocates, today went on the offensive against Microsoft, calling on the EU
| to require all PCs to be sold without operating systems.
`----
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2007/09/24/globalisation_institute_windows_bundling/
French consumer group attacks PC software bundling
,----[ Quote ]
| UFC-Que Choisir legal officer Sandra Wouhling said current
| practice effectively forced ordinary consumers to buy computers
| using Microsoft operating systems whereas companies anda
| dministrations were offered a real choice.
`----
http://yahoo.reuters.com/news/articlehybrid.aspx?storyID=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20061214:MTFH94365_2006-12-14_14-49-22_L14537403&type=comktNews&rpc=44
http://tinyurl.com/yf7kfu
Jury Hears Microsoft Competition Suit
,----[ Quote ]
| A judge on Friday told jurors they must accept as fact that a
| federal court found in 1999 that Microsoft holds a monopoly over
| computer operating systems and that it restricted computer
| manufacturers' ability to use competing systems.
|
| [...]
|
| She said she'll show that the company used its monopoly power
| to exclude competition and control prices and that it conspired with
| other companies to restrain trade, maintaining what she called a
| chokehold on software competitors and computer manufacturers.
|
| "It isn't illegal to be successful," Conlin said in opening
| remarks. "We applaud that. ... But you can't freeze out competitors
| and punish and retaliate against people who cooperate with
| competitors. Microsoft did all that and more."
`----
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/061201/microsoft_trial.html?.v=1
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