Which is worse, being right (eventually) and having noone caring or being entirely wrong?

You could look at it that Sony would have eventually picked up a large proportion of their old PS2 userbase if given enough time whereas every sale above 30M Microsoft had to earn. So you could say that Microsoft played a significantly better game this generation and if these conditions repeat themselves then Microsoft may be the one to beat next generation.

It all really does depend on prespective.  Microsoft was able to increase it marketshare considerably this generation.  At the same time, it can be argued that Sony's worst home console will still be able to surpass Microsoft's best.  Again, its a victory for some and nothing for others.

The biggest deal for Sony is surely to sell enough HW after HW profitability is reached, and enough SW through the whole life of PS3 to cover initial losses and have a profit overall. A smaller deal about selling in the late life of the gen is that being the best seller during those years gives a little bit of free advertising, keeping the brand name well known before and during the successive gen launch. We know that strong brand name isn't enough, PS3 lost the leadership despite having the strongest brand name at launch, but it helps anyway.

fact of mattter sony lost marketshare and almost ended up broke while rivals are making ton of money

I like how people talk about how bad Sony had it early on and was able to still sell what they did yet people tend to forget the MAJOR problem Microsoft had with RRod and that they were still fairly new to the gaming industry with very little to no success.

That to me seems like a much bigger problem to over come rather than some console that is over priced. Sony still had its name cemented into the gaming industry unlike Microsoft.

However people will chalk it up and say this just proves how strong the PS brand is. Well it isn't as strong as you think if you could lose as much market share as you did going up against a console that could barely work for years.

No. There isn't a prize neither for first, second or third place.

But here is a price for your magnificent and very clever post that contributed gratly to th thread and settled this discussion:  8^)

It is a smiley face with a long nose :)

The XBox 360 lost tons of money as well. It wasn't smooth sailing for Nintendo either as they went from dominating early in the gen to being dead last.

All 3 made mistakes this gen. All 3 will make some the next.

I can see by some of the comments in this thread that it still matters to a few if and when the ps3 FINALLY passes the xbox360.but the point will still be moot to many.
and what,s not to understand,when i say i hope we can all live/game in HARMONY next gen?

imagine when it happens. there'll be threads full of only sony fans. i doubt microsoft fans will even show up,