| NJ5 said: I think we have inflicted a few lethal wounds on this article, and it looks like it's dying. |
I'd slow down there if I were you. This thread may be dying, but not the original article.
The willful ignorance here is truly astounding. You even suggest that "Microsoft barely invested in HD-DVD" when the reality is that they had more at stake than any other company, with the obvious exceptions of Toshiba and Sony. If you'd taken the time to read the article (which you admit you didn't) you would learn what many of us already knew: that HDi was the main reason the whole format war started in the first place. Toshiba and Sony certainly didn't want to engage in a costly "war", but battle lines were drawn over the inclusion of MS's proprietary interactivity layer. Had HD-DVD claimed victory over Blu-Ray, HDi would have become a massive cash cow for MS. Why do you suppose they spent so much time touting the dubious "benefits" of HD-DVD?
MS is obviously not on it's last legs, but neither is it the invincible beast it once was. That is the fundamental point of the original article, and the analysis is pretty much spot on, even if it does tend towards hyperbole. With the notable exception of the X360, most of MS's recent endeavours have been resounding failures, and the author of the original article is simply joining the dots between the death of HD-DVD, the relative failure of the Zune and the unquestionable under-performance of Vista, to paint a picture of mistrust surrounding MS. This is a view with which I wholeheartedly concur.
@ Katilian
So you don't think MS leverages it's market position to push new proprietary standards? Why do you think they created DX in the first place rather than encouraging an open standard? DX ensures MS retains a stranglehold on the computer games market as games cannot be easily ported, and PC gamers are therefore effectively forced to use Windows. Proprietary standards are the reason Windows has remained on top for so long (.doc specification?)
@ ZenfoldorVGI
For once, I'm on your side. I think the article is valid, and I am astounded that so many people have rushed to the defence of MS when the xbox isn't even discussed.
@ Dark_Lord_2008
I think you must have posted in the wrong thread. This is about the impact of HD-DVD on MS. It has nothing to do with the PS3 or Sony.
@ agabara
PS3 sales have eclipsed 360 on a weekly basis, but not LTD. Both statements are true, but the way they are worded is indicative of the author's bias. That doesn't mean that the article is wrong though.
