Microsoft trying to push its way into DVD (1 Viewer)

[Brian Bunn]

Damn. The absolute hatred for Microsoft indeed runs rampant. No wonder they have been pursued with such vigilance. Sure, the court ruling went against them, but I still say it is debatable. It is a witch-hunt if you ask me. They didn't stand a chance of receiving a favorable ruling in court.

Deny it all you want. A company doesn't reach the success that Microsoft has without doing something right. Shrewd? Damn right. They got where they are by kicking the competition's ass! And when you get right down to it, that's what it's all about. Hell, I don't know if they may have used some "shady" business practices to do so or not. I am definitely not an expert. It all just seems very suspicious to me.

 

[Don Black]

Ummm... do you guys think that AOL, Sun, Oracle and the rest of the anti-Microsoft brigade wouldn't have done the same? Or aren't trying to do the same? Business has always been about building a better mousetrap. If a company can't leverage its own technology to fend off Microsoft, then perhaps it shouldn't be in business.

If you're anti-monopoly, then you're anti record label, movie studio, book/magazine publisher, politician, etc. These are all mutually exclusive industries. You take market share away from your competitors. Is it always fair? No. Does it drive the American economy? Yes.

 

[Joseph S]

Don and Brian,

Business has always been about building a better mousetrap.

Exactly. Unfortunately, Microsoft prefers to force suppliers to sell the competition faulty springs and sticks a high powered magnet around the neck of mice to get their results.

If you want a model company look at a company like SVS, not M$.

 

[Don Black]

That's like saying that BMW is sabotaging its own cars by using proprietary parts and interfaces. There is no way that Ford can break through!

A company has the right to sell its own vision of things. You, as a consumer, have the right to buy something else. Run StarOffice on Linux with Netscape. If that makes you happy, then more power to you.

I think Microsoft did consumers a favor by opening up its OS to other developers. There's a reason why NUON technology isn't in every DVD player. It's because, unlike Microsoft, the consumer electronics manufacturers are trying to keep other developers out of their products. That's really great for the consumer, right?

 

[Henry Carmona]

A company doesn't reach the success that Microsoft
has without doing something right.

Or something illegal

 

[Todd H]

Or something illegal

Haha!!! So true!
You know, if an individual broke the law as blatantly as Microsoft, the VAST majority would scream for his head. But when a company like Microsoft breaks the law, you always hear people say "Oh they're just being a ruthless competitor. That's what the free enterprise system is all about. God bless America!!" It's a double standard I don't buy. It doesn't matter if you're a crack dealer or a large corporation, if you break the law then you should pay the price. And Microsoft was been found guilty of BLATANTLY breaking the law.
You know, the mob was pretty successful at one time because they used unfair business practices...

 

[BrianB]

That's like saying that BMW is sabotaging its own cars by using proprietary parts and interfaces. There is no way that Ford can break through!

That's an unfair analogy. Do you have /any/ software on your PC that isn't provided by Microsoft? How would you feel if in the next revision of Windows, Microsoft purposely changed the OS API to break that software?

A PC is not a 'closed box' like a BMW car.

 

[Dean M]

And Jackson was a model of fairness....

Actually, it has been revealed that Judge Jackson owned Microsoft shares throughout the trial.

 

[Ryan Wright]

I'm sorry, I can't bash a man that is the epitome of success.

Who is bashing Bill Gates?

I admire Mr. Gates. He is the ultimate geek, and I really like the guy. I'd love to meet him in person some day; I would consider it an honor to shake his hand.

However, I still heavily disagree with the way Microsoft is operated. It's wrong. They said that if Internet Explorer is removed from Windows 98, the OS will be crippled. It's interesting to note that a tiny script called Windows 98 Lite removes IE from Windows 98 in a flash and it runs better, faster, and is more stable. I did this for my father. But when I went to download the latest DirectX drivers, Microsoft's web site wouldn't let me download it with Netscape. Said it required IE. That's pure and utter bullshit. There is ZERO reason for them to block downloads like this - ANY web browser or FTP client can download a file.

Still, I respect Bill Gates as a person.

 

[MickeS]

Personally, I think the problem is that the place is run by that lunatic Steve Ballmer...

/Mike

 

[Dean M]

MS TV: It'll Be Watching You
By Michelle Delio
3:05 p.m. Dec. 11, 2001 PST
Soon your television could be watching you far more carefully than you watch it.
Microsoft announced on Tuesday it will be using Predictive Networks' technology to track the viewing habits of people who use Microsoft TV interactive television products.
http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,49028,00.html
Anybody think that Microsoft won't be tracking their viewing habits? I know that Tivo already tracks its users viewing habits but then again they are not Microsoft.

 

[CharlesD]

Microsoft's new marketing slogan:
RESISTANCE IS FUTILE YOU WILL BE ASSIMILATED

 

[Anthony Hom]

MS and DVD controversy should have little to do with inferior MS product. Let's say MS does make a great quality product. Here's the problem: MS will make the studios use their protected format for DVDs and VOD. MS will then use that advantage to make their products the standard for set-top boxes on TVs. With a future X-box that has also WebTV and UTV (like Tivo), you can play their video games and play their DVD standard. Or if you do VOD, you can use the WebTV to locate and download a movie to UTV while playing something else. all in one neat package.

Of course, MS will force all makers of DVD players to conform to this standard, just like all the PC makers have to meet a standard. Then, everytime we use our x-box, it has to log into the internet to passport. Eventually, all our games will be downloaded instead of buying discs, downloading of movies will occur. All onto a hard drive we have little control over. that avoids piracy, of course. All going through passport, which has all our info, credit card, checking accounts, email addresses of your friends, and so on. They want to know every minute what you are doing on their boxes.

We will still buy what will be a deluxe x-box from any vendor, but like a PC, they will all be MS driven. Passport is the big thing. If it doesn't worry you now, it should. All your personal data will be handled by MS, even medical records and other confidential data. Of course Larry Ellison says no one has any privacy, just the illusion of it, so why should we worry about it?

The worst case scenario? MS has a networking system that almost runs like the TCP/IP open standard, but has alot of checks and balances that can monitor activity and do remote manipulation. I see in the future the internet open standard will be replaced by Windows networking. Why not? If 95% of the worlds computers are windows PC, doesn't it make sense.

Am i even close, or do most people think I'm way off base? I think MS will improve the access to media, but they will be the only pipeline eventually.

 

[Philip Hamm]

Damn, no-one has commented on my comment about the Madrigal.:frowning:

 

[Ryan Wright]

Microsoft's new marketing slogan:

RESISTANCE IS FUTILE YOU WILL BE ASSIMILATED

Somebody set up us the bomb!

All your DVD are belong to U$.