Squilliam said:
Impulsivity said:
Bitmap Frogs said:
Squilliam said:
You know, if we changed the concepts a little and applied them to Sony it would explain why they are currently getting their a$$ handed to them.
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Oh no you didn't!
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See something like a walkman or a successful video game system or an Ipod is NOT a monopoly. When the walkman was THE music player, there were dozens of other choices. If you really wanted a JVC tape player you could get one. If you didn't want the PS2 you could get a gamecube, if you don't want an Ipod there's the new walkman or the zen or the zune or whatever.
A successful product is NOT a monopoly. What IS a monopoly is when there is only one choice and the company with the monopoly makes sure that remains the only choice. There are very few people who felt compelled to buy the ipod or PS2 or whatever, but there are a TON of people who feel compelled to buy windows. Hell I HATE windows, and yet I own a copy to play some computer games and business applications I can't get on OSX because Microsoft has taken tons of steps to make sure they can't be used elsewhere (like making direct X instead of adopting open GL to make porting very difficult to any non windows/xbox system).
Anyway the point is with devices there is no such thing as a monopoly since all major segments have many competitors. When I say microsoft can't win I mean in any competitive market (consumer electronics being one). Sony has won MANY times in many competitive markets. They dominated with the walkman and then again with CD players early on, their dominance has waxed and waned in TVs but they have always done well, they do very well with pro video gear (a TON of movies/TV shows are shot using Sony equipment primarily), they've won a few video game gens ect. In all of the places they've won they've faced HEAVY competition with no real monopoly powers (IE at any time everyones free to choose a non sony product and get similar functionality).
Sony is a strong competitor as is Nintendo, they have won generations but never because of monopolies (even the NES had to fight off the master system).
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You forget that Microsoft is so awesome they can still sell their stuff at a high price when the alternatives are given away for free! (Linux, PSN).
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Quite simply Windows only sells for X number of dollars because it comes on 90% of PCs sold. Dell actually tried to make a Linux PC and even made it more expensive and MS basically said if you put Linux on boxes we will cut you off from Windows.
VERY VERY few people buy a boxed version of windows by choice and install it, the VAST majority end up with windows because it comes on whatever computer they buy from Sony or Dell or whoever; that is especially the case with Vista.
Notice Microsoft was brought up by both the EU and US for antitrust monopoly crimes, that NEVER happened to Sony, Nintendo or any of the other companies involved in video games.
If Windows programs were compatable with any OS (so the OS was just the framework and any program could work with any OS) watch how many people pay 400 dollars for Vista Ultimate. As more and more programs don't require windows the market share is already dropping. I mean look at Vista in business (Microsofts strongest market) it only has a roughly 9% adoption rate, OSX has around a 5% adoption rate, thus for new computers MS is only barely ahead of Apple. As more goes to the web that tide will only continue to go against MS.
Again though, you can get a Xbox 360 used for about 150 bucks at gamestop, and yet a lot of people (more then twice as many) would rather pay 300 dollars for a Wii on ebay then get the far cheaper 360. You can claim PS3 sales have stalled on price, what has stalled 360 sales if they're the lowest in price by far if not strong unyielding resistance to buying a MS box on the part of a large number of consumers?
