How did I ever know this post would get emotional?
OT - Pretty much all big companies are happy to fleece their customers, it's a fact of life. I don't like it, hopefully most don't, but the sad fact is that so long as enough people are happy to allow themselves to be fleeced - and let's face it millions are - then there is no reason for companies to back down.
The simple action that needs to be taken is to refuse to bite at the price, but of course many won't. In the end their need for MW2, or whatever similar game, will override other considerations and they'll pay up.
There are some fair grips about MS in there, but in the end it has as much right as any company to enter any other line of business. If they do a good job they flourish, if they don't they waste a lot of money and eventually fail.
As for Live, it isn't that expensive, although I wouldn't personally chose to pay for it. I could easily aford too, and probably so could anyone paying $50 plus a game, but with PSN and PC online being free, with Live apparently being based on P2P, and with Valve, a much smaller company than MS, seemingly able to offer exactly the same (if not superior) service for free I just don't think the justification is there for any cost whatsoever.
The argument against Themes, etc. is sound enough, however, I note that in US PSN there seem to be premium Themes, too (none in Europe that I know of) - a clear example that when its been proven people will pay other companies are just as happy to charge for stuff that arguably should be a 'freebie' too. I guess my US gaming cousin's have shown themselves to be too willing to pay for their favorite gaming or other Themes.
I do think the main, fair complaint against MS with 360 is the build quality, particularly at launch. They rushed to market with a shoddy product, no questions asked, and given the Xbox seemed very solid it was disappointing they were so happy to put speed to market ahead of the customer. Even today I'd say the 360 is only just getting to acceptable levels of performance, and I still think it get's too damn loud and too damn hot.
As for the general company culture, well, MS probably is one of the worst for using every dirty trick to attain its ends - but that doesn't mean others are pure as snow.
BTW thanks for the Prototype vs inFamous link someone posted. Very amusing. Personally I preferred inFamous by miles, but the article was funny and clearly in jest. Although it's right about the fences - damn I wanted to see those suckers come apart the way they so satisfyingly do in Battlefield 1943.
Try to be reasonable... its easier than you think...
