[ale] a scary scenario

Irv Mullins irvm at ellijay.com
Fri Apr 5 07:38:44 EST 2002


On Thursday 04 April 2002 08:24 pm, you wrote:
> anyone that did not see this coming with the whole Xbox thing was not
> paying attention.  first it was the Software market, next will be the
> hardware.
>
> lookout Dell!, MS is coming to get ya
>

This might be the best thing that could happen to Linux ...

Considering Microsoft's past track record, we can expect this new 
hardware to be unstable, insecure, and expensive. 

The press and the general public are becoming more and more aware  of 
these failings, and Microsoft's legally-questionable business tactics are 
common knowledge.

So we'll have Dell and all the other manufacturers lining up to pay 
Microsoft a fee for the rights to use that hardware?  A fee that will, 
obviously, be increased whenever Microsoft needs extra cash?
For hardware that can be changed at any time to disable any 
"really good" software which may be written for it, so that 
Microsoft can sell their "competing" version?  The anti-trust 
lawyers are just waiting to pounce....

I don't think Dell, or any of the cost-conscious overseas manufacturers, will 
see the wisdom of buying into this, when they already have access to 
perfectly usable video/cpu hardware, as well as a free OS that runs on that 
hardware.

My guess is they'll  be able to offer competing systems for about half the 
price of those which carry the Microsoft "tax". Of course, some people will 
buy the Xbox. - Bill will probably sell them under cost., until enough 
"users" are hooked.....

Regards,
Irv Mullins


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