I do think the way Microsoft screwed their previous partners and customers was amusing, too, unless you were one of the beforementioned partners or customers. Microsoft sold a platform for third party MP3 manufacturers and online music stores providers under the name "Plays For Sure" - the idea being that a song purchased from any such store would work on any player that also used the platform. When it was obvious that this business was not working, Microsoft went for this Zune thing and abandoned the previous platform, so songs purchased on Microsoft's "Plays For Sure" system do not work on Microsoft's own Zune player.

any company that goes against the current of consumer want for long is bound to suffer, and blocking copy protected songs (which represent a big damn share of the online song downloads) is just ridiculous and bound to alienate customers, which, on a practical level, really dont give a damn about the much debated IP concept.

any company that goes against the current of consumer want for long is bound to suffer, and blocking copy protected songs (which represent a big damn share of the online song downloads) is just ridiculous and bound to alienate customers, which, on a practical level, really dont give a damn about the much debated IP concept.

I think most people think of IP issues in terms of "I bought it, I paid for it, it's mine," rather than in terms of any ethereal notions of "licenses" to listen to music/run software/whatever. I have to say, I'm sympathetic. I dislike paying good money for a DVD and then getting error messages when I try to watch it on my computer.

Of course, I consider Microsoft to be of the same moral compass as France: one can do the opposite of them with a clean conscience.

Ah, the Microsoft formula - take a good idea, muck it up totally, then mass market it.

Problem is (from the Redmond view), Apple has grown too large, and been burned by Bill before, so they aren't subject to having Bill buy them out and hide the good idea so the crappy knock-off is the only option.

Zune - yet another product from the company whos only original contribution to the world of computing is the inimitable "blue screen of death"

Microsoft probably thinks it can do the usual and make the product workable by Version III. Unfortunately you can't give hardware away, so it won't work.

Of course, I consider Microsoft to be of the same moral compass as France: one can do the opposite of them with a clean conscience.

Would love to see that as a QOTD, well done!

The next generation of Windows software, known as Windows Vista, is soon scheduled to replace Windows XP. One of the new features of Vista is the strict incorporation of Digital Rights Management (DRM). This is intended to deliberately degrade the functionality of a computer that attempts to use certain high-quality audio and video sources in a way not approved of by the copyright holder of such media.

While the DRM features in Vista may be ideal for media producers, they could have some significant disadvantages for users. These potential disadvantages are discussed in a paper available at:

http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~pgut0001/pubs/vista_cost.txt

Sony - and its fanboys - had the same misinformed and frankly childish arrogance when MS entered the console market. Look what happens now.

Go play with your snobbish, elitist (and "closed") Apple toys fanboy - But do amuse us from time to time with the obviously confusing paradox of How Microsoft is Both the Stupidest Train Wreck on the Face of the Earth AND The Most Cunning and Vicious Company Hell-Bent to Take Over the World AT THE SAME TIME.

We love it almost as much as the ones on how George Dubya Shrub is a complete American Moron AND YET the most dangerously evil dictator threatening our otherwise peaceful world...

Hi Freeman,

The Windows Vista paper you cited looks interesting, but unfortunately the link doesn't seem to work. Can you possibly check it, and repost if necessary?

Cheers.

Sony - and its fanboys - had the same misinformed and frankly childish arrogance when MS entered the console market. Look what happens now.

Unless you explain which bit of the article is technically incorrect or logically flawed, your whole comment is fairly pointless (along with that weird non sequitur about George Bush). Are you saying the Zune has made a major market impact and people are not staying away in droves? If so please cite. Are you saying it actually will play the copy protested files? If so please cite. Otherwise all you seem to be saying is that the Zune will overtake the iPod... well, just because.

You have to feel bad for the kids whose parents "surprised" them with a Zune this holiday season instead of an iPod. That's the kind of hurt the kids never forget!

Of course, I consider Microsoft to be of the same moral compass as France: one can do the opposite of them with a clean conscience.

Would love to see that as a QOTD, well done!

I wish it was mine. I stole it from P.J. O'Rourke, from his book Peace Kills. I just added Microsoft into the mix.

Kulibar Tree:

Sorry about the Vista link. My typo -- should be 001 in the URL:

http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~pgut001/pubs/vista_cost.txt

Hi Freeman,

Many thanks for the correction.

Cheers.

PDH: I'll do better than that and let DVD Jon explain why your childish fanboyism is nothing more than that...

http://nanocrew.net/2006/11/27/zune-fud-ii/

I'll just add that Jon's bit on "the reviewer [being] exposed to the Reality Distortion Field for way too long" obviously struck hard here as well. Very amusing to watch indeed.

PDH: I'll do better than that and let DVD Jon explain why your childish fanboyism is nothing more than that...

I own neither a Zune nor an iPod and use a very high end Windoze XP machine, not a Mac, and therefore could not care less either way regarding Zune vs. iPod.

Thus your assumption I am a 'fanboy' says nothing about me but does rather indicate you are a 'fanboy' for Microsoft.

I was just pointing out that without a link or an actual argument, your comment was worthless.