I agree with many of the complaints in the article because they are legitimate gripes. For example I think charging for themes is ridiculous. I also think that if Xbox Live is going to have even more ads that they should be only for Silver members. And I'm not sure if he covered this but I think Microsoft should treat all third-parties the same. For example some got special permission for larger XBLA games or to release free content when others weren't allowed. Also of course Microsoft deserves a lot of the heat over hardware issues.

With that being said I don't agree with the statement that Microsoft had no right getting into the console gaming market. I think every company that wants to get into it has the right regardless of their original reasons. Also he seems oblivious to the fact that if it hadn't of been for Microsoft and its money many of the games he enjoys likely wouldn't exist, or at least in the form they're in, because they wouldn't have been economically feasible. Does anyone really think that people that have been attracted to HD gaming because of the 360's lower price points, especially the Xbox 360 Arcade, would have chosen the PS3 instead? As for those that would argue that the PS3 would have been cheaper without the Xbox 360 as competition please explain to me why Sony would have chosen not to go with Blu-Ray and the Cell processor, both of which were jointly developed by them and in which they had a stake in their respective successes.

Also I want to point out something that appears to be ignorance in the article. The Avatars were in development before the Wii came out and before Miis were even revealed. The fact that someone working for a video game website is oblivious to that fact is surprising. If you don't believe me just Google it. As for Natal why isn't he bashing Sony which is guilty of exactly the same thing, hell people still remember the Sixaxis right? Or how about Sony copying Xbox Live features? Hey if the original writer is going to bash Microsoft for copying the least he can do is give them credit for things they didn't copy like achievements, etc.

Anyways it's good that he got his anger out about Microsoft. I just wish he would have at least tempered his article instead of letting it be completely one-sided. I remember for example when my mother sent in a PS1 for repair because of a problem with the CD drive, a problem Sony refused to recognize as widespread, and in which we were charged around $100 for. We went on to have the same problem with not one but two other PS1s as well (we simply kept them on their side and later on opened them and voided our warranty to try to fix them rather than allow Sony to rip us off again). At least Microsoft finally admitted their mistakes, which while it doesn't excuse them, is still a hell of a lot better than never admitting them at all.

I love my Mac just as much as I love my PC. It's got a great library of software that I've invested a considerable amount of time and money into over the past few years, and it's a system that will likely still be serving me for some time to come.

That said, in a significant parallel to the PC, my love for the system seems to come at an inverse proportion to my love for the company behind it. I am of course talking about Apple, otherwise known as the poster boy for corporate greed and everything that is wrong with America. Not my words, the words of other people ... probably.

Despite bringing out a good computer that many people have flocked to, Apple has also helped to ruin computing for everybody. Perhaps you don't believe me, and are preparing to call me a "bias troll that's trying to get fired" already, but please read the article before making your accusations.

To the people calling Microsoft a greedy, money-hungry corporation.

Sony and Nintendo are too.

Congratulations on figuring out what a COMPANY is. Certainly hope nobody strained themselves.

thats fine if you just want to play online by yourself, but what happens if you have a friend that wants to play?  What if you have 2 or 3?  what if you have more than that?  For each friend you have to enter a code for each game you play.

So, for example, on xbox live I have over 80 friends.  I would have to enter a friend code for each of them to play.  Not only that, but if we wanted to play a different game I would have to enter comepletely different friend codes.  Then to complicate matters, there is no way for me to communcate with them until we are in the game.  I would have to call them all up on their cell phones get their stupid friend codes and give them mine in turn and hope nobody misherd a character or we would have to repeat the process.

Don't you see how that is a joke?  I don't know about you, but when I play online I enjoy myself quite a bit more when I can play with people I know.  Not to mention the fact that their are only 2 games out that support wii speak, an accessory that nobody owns which makes it pretty much useless.

@OP wow you must be the cheapest 34 year old I know....well to each his own. A live subscription is 30-40 dollars a year. People pay more for a couple months of WoW, I just spent $160 taking my gf to see Gwen Stefani, is the small amount for Live really that bad?

of course they are, but neither sony or nintendo have to charge us for thin air.

the ps3 maybe expensive, but i have free online and the hardware  value its expensive too.

and nintendo wii wasn't never expensive to begin with.. though do believe require a price cut soon.

I guess you forgot Netflix, TV shows, 1vs 100 and being able to play demos of ALL arcade and indie games before buying them which you cannot do on Wii or PS3....with Last.fm, Facebook and Games On Demand coming soon.

BTW....noone pays $50 anyways since there are always discounts.

I think MS added to the fun for everybody

Greedy and money-hungry applies to Microsoft, A company focussed on profit is Nintendo.

The way they achieve these goals determines how I categorize them.

That's why I think Microsoft is evil, and takes advantage of it's customers.

It's kind of like a businessman and a drug dealer.

I mean after all they are just both trying to sell things to get money right? The method they use to get that money is what counts.

I have a mad crush on Gwen Stefani, and I have for years, that was worth evey penny my friend.

On topic: All Microsoft has done is given me the Xbox 360 and introduced me to KoToR and Mass Effect, I can't hate.