Whatever Happened to Evil Microsoft?
Posted by: EG Admin on January 01, 2006 9:49:44 PM (1016 Reads)
http://www.radiorevolt.com/
Five years ago if you had walked into a LAN center or a LAN party and mentioned that you even liked microsoft you would have been laughed at and treated like a retard.
But that was before Xbox, Halo 2, and the decently stable Windows XP. Back when Bill Gates was characterized as the spawn of Satan. Back when the video clip of Windows '98 crashing was the most downloaded on the net. Remember www.killbillgates.com? and who could forget the fight between the software giant and a young teenager named Mike Rowe whose website (www.mikerowesoft.com) Bill's lil company saught to shut down, threatening legal action on a scale that the poor kid nor his family could afford. Eventually MS offered the kid $10, that's right a measly $10 for the domain. The net rallied for Mike Rowe as CNN reported on the story. Mike still owns the domain and runs a successful design company today.
Microsoft was seen as a giant bent on computer world conquest when they first launched IE and shoved it into the millions of pc's that used the Windows software, completely destroying Netscape (now owned by AOL). And when MS moved into the Audio/Video player market making the .WMV and .WMA file types windows default to run on in an attempt to edge out Nullsoft makers of Winamp and Real. Coincidently enough Nullsoft and their Winamp program is now property of AOL as well.
As the launch of the Xbox 360 got closer none of the past transgretions by MS seemed to loom. With the Xbox MS showed that it could build an entire console and not only that make a great game... even if it took a second attempt. HALO 2 is one of the most played games worldwide falling right behind WoW and Counter Strike. Many gamers don't even realize that the software house, Bungie, that created the addictive fps game is owned by Microsoft. HALO 2 along with MS's succesful launching of Xbox Live alone primed the system for a sequel and wiped the slate for Microsoft's PR to improve the companies image.
That brings us to the 360's launch. MS teamed with MTV in order to spread the craze about the system. Using clever marketing techniques which included the hex 168 contest and a "top secret" launch party (zero hour) MS was able to make the 360's image look cool and make it a must have.
Then came the pain, launch day hits and hundreds of thousands of gamers are camping local Wal-Marts, Best Buys, EB Games, Game Stops, Circuit Citys and other stores to get their hands on a system just to find out that each store only had a handful. However, MS authorized chains like EB and Best Buy to sell pre-order packages, EB has yet to recieve enough units to fill their pre-orders. Microsoft has pushed the blame on the store chains for overselling the system and claims that they are sending out weekly shipments, a fact that almost all gamers must take as a lie now. EB games stated that most of their stores receive bi-weekly shipments, but that is only 2 - 5 units and those have to go for pre-orders.
Then there is the power supply problem. At first MS denied that it even exsisted, but as their hot line started getting more complaints and some of the units started coming back in they did take notice and began to work to fix the problem. One man has even sued MS saying that the company knew some of the 360's were bad due to a design flaw that would cause the CPU to overheat. MS denies those allegations and claims that the power supply, which they sub-contracted, is to blame. MS states that roughly 3% of the units will be bad and that they will gladly replace them free of charge. Yes MS is doing a great job replacing the bad power supplies but I think they are sugar coating the 3% number, just my opinion but I dont think that 3% of 1.5 million would have caused as much of a commotion as you see on the net.
Now adays if you say you think the Xbox sucks or that Microsoft is dumb you get told off by loyal MS fan heads. Hell not even the announcement of MS looking at making an Open Source OS has churrened up emotions of angst. Today it seems most gamers are content to like MS, even with all of their past wrong doings. All hail the new kinder, gentler, evil company.
Questions or Comments:
dragon@radiorevolt.com
About the author:
Dragon S5 is an online gamer and runs an online gaming clan. Dragon does not work for any console manufacturer, pc componet manufacturer, software publisher, or any company in any of these markets. Dragon runs and operates http://www.radiorevolt.com/ an independent online radio station for gamers.
Whatever Happened to Evil Microsoft?
January 05, 2006 03:12 PM
damn straight
January 08, 2006 10:01 PM
Whatever Happened to Evil Microsoft?
January 10, 2006 05:23 PM
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Posted by: EG Admin on January 01, 2006 9:49:44 PM (1016 Reads)
Five years ago if you had walked into a LAN center or a LAN party and mentioned that you even liked microsoft you would have been laughed at and treated like a retard.
By DragonS5http://www.radiorevolt.com/
Five years ago if you had walked into a LAN center or a LAN party and mentioned that you even liked microsoft you would have been laughed at and treated like a retard.
But that was before Xbox, Halo 2, and the decently stable Windows XP. Back when Bill Gates was characterized as the spawn of Satan. Back when the video clip of Windows '98 crashing was the most downloaded on the net. Remember www.killbillgates.com? and who could forget the fight between the software giant and a young teenager named Mike Rowe whose website (www.mikerowesoft.com) Bill's lil company saught to shut down, threatening legal action on a scale that the poor kid nor his family could afford. Eventually MS offered the kid $10, that's right a measly $10 for the domain. The net rallied for Mike Rowe as CNN reported on the story. Mike still owns the domain and runs a successful design company today.
Microsoft was seen as a giant bent on computer world conquest when they first launched IE and shoved it into the millions of pc's that used the Windows software, completely destroying Netscape (now owned by AOL). And when MS moved into the Audio/Video player market making the .WMV and .WMA file types windows default to run on in an attempt to edge out Nullsoft makers of Winamp and Real. Coincidently enough Nullsoft and their Winamp program is now property of AOL as well.
As the launch of the Xbox 360 got closer none of the past transgretions by MS seemed to loom. With the Xbox MS showed that it could build an entire console and not only that make a great game... even if it took a second attempt. HALO 2 is one of the most played games worldwide falling right behind WoW and Counter Strike. Many gamers don't even realize that the software house, Bungie, that created the addictive fps game is owned by Microsoft. HALO 2 along with MS's succesful launching of Xbox Live alone primed the system for a sequel and wiped the slate for Microsoft's PR to improve the companies image.
That brings us to the 360's launch. MS teamed with MTV in order to spread the craze about the system. Using clever marketing techniques which included the hex 168 contest and a "top secret" launch party (zero hour) MS was able to make the 360's image look cool and make it a must have.
Then came the pain, launch day hits and hundreds of thousands of gamers are camping local Wal-Marts, Best Buys, EB Games, Game Stops, Circuit Citys and other stores to get their hands on a system just to find out that each store only had a handful. However, MS authorized chains like EB and Best Buy to sell pre-order packages, EB has yet to recieve enough units to fill their pre-orders. Microsoft has pushed the blame on the store chains for overselling the system and claims that they are sending out weekly shipments, a fact that almost all gamers must take as a lie now. EB games stated that most of their stores receive bi-weekly shipments, but that is only 2 - 5 units and those have to go for pre-orders.
Then there is the power supply problem. At first MS denied that it even exsisted, but as their hot line started getting more complaints and some of the units started coming back in they did take notice and began to work to fix the problem. One man has even sued MS saying that the company knew some of the 360's were bad due to a design flaw that would cause the CPU to overheat. MS denies those allegations and claims that the power supply, which they sub-contracted, is to blame. MS states that roughly 3% of the units will be bad and that they will gladly replace them free of charge. Yes MS is doing a great job replacing the bad power supplies but I think they are sugar coating the 3% number, just my opinion but I dont think that 3% of 1.5 million would have caused as much of a commotion as you see on the net.
Now adays if you say you think the Xbox sucks or that Microsoft is dumb you get told off by loyal MS fan heads. Hell not even the announcement of MS looking at making an Open Source OS has churrened up emotions of angst. Today it seems most gamers are content to like MS, even with all of their past wrong doings. All hail the new kinder, gentler, evil company.
Questions or Comments:
dragon@radiorevolt.com
About the author:
Dragon S5 is an online gamer and runs an online gaming clan. Dragon does not work for any console manufacturer, pc componet manufacturer, software publisher, or any company in any of these markets. Dragon runs and operates http://www.radiorevolt.com/ an independent online radio station for gamers.
Note: Comments are owned by the poster. We are not responsible for their content.
Whatever Happened to Evil Microsoft?
January 05, 2006 03:12 PM
well since no one else is gonna post. that was one hell of an article.. i fucking hate microsoft.
damn straight
January 08, 2006 10:01 PM
Whatever Happened to Evil Microsoft?
January 10, 2006 05:23 PM
Glad to see the comments system getting put to use, and though I don't think Microsoft is evil and never had I am glad there are those that are not afraid to voice there opinions.
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