Xbox... just a test?

[PlumClock]

I dunno I have this theory that Xbox is nothing but a hardware test for Microsoft. If they can waltz in to the console industry and overthrow Sony and Nintendo (It's happenning) they've just proven to themselves that they can handle hardware.

The success of Xbox = Microsoft getting into computer hardware? Are we going to see full blown Microsoft computers?

Why can't Osama bomb them or somethin... they are killing my precious Nintendo.

[Master of Reality]

this should be in the hardware forum.... moving

[KernelPanic]

No because Xbox = wintel.
Wintel is the PC duopoly.
MS and Intel are happy as it is, there will be no change.
And what gives you the idea that MS actually had to do much hardware work for the Xbox, its main parts are all PC stuff.

[Kintaro]

I think they will but i have a fund going, a group of 12 people 10 dont know how too turn computers on and one day near we are going to goto redmond and weld the bonnets shut on all the cars we see at the MS HQ!

[HPC GUY]

no way. xbox is hardly killing nintendo. First of all their hardware is different. Nintendo and PS2 have str8 dedicated hardware where xbox hardware is pc stuff which is used for multitasking, therefore alot of power goes to waste. 2nd xbox is make the same mistake sega did by having weak 3rd party support.

[TheQuirk]

Another theorey I've heared was that they are just using the x-box to learn from mistakes and develop their TCPA playform (what's it called? Pallidum?) more secure.

[Refalm]

quote:PlumClock: Yes I know I posted this in the hardware forum but that place is dead.

What a wonderfull live I have as a moderator on the Microsoft Hardware forum... had one spammer in total  :rolleyes:   * being lazy, eating pizza, drinking Ice Tea *

[rtgwbmsr]

XBox isn't selling in Europe - Apparently they can tell shit from good stuff. I think it's doing about the same in Japan.

As for the US: We were XBox's marketing target, and it shows. Some people in the US actually bought these consoles. When I asked one of my friends as to why the fuck he bought one he said "It looks cool, and the games are gory and stuff"

If the average consumer in the US is this intelligent, Palladium will succeed. They will market it as just another "cool, good looking" computer and they will buy it...

[TheQuirk]

Most people in the U.S are idiots. That's why I'm as smart as a fish  

[trc3]

quote:Originally posted by TheQuirk:
Most people in the U.S are idiots.

Sad but true...

[TheQuirk]

No wonder Bush was elected (not that Gore was any better).

[ September 21, 2002: Message edited by: TheQuirk ]

[NullPointer]

Have to agree with TheQuirks earlier comment about the X-box being a testbed for TCPA / Palladium...it actually uses a early variant of TCPA for DRM purposes (i.e. stopping you pirate expensive X-box games).

However I reckon that Microsoft have other agendas behind getting into the console market. The primary reason I feel is that the X-box IS a computer ... I don't think it happened by accident that it was based on a PC architecture. My guess is that Bill is hoping to get a computer in the shape of the X-box into every living room around the western world. Naieve kids who as is mentioned above demand higher resolution gore, will in fact secure the future of TCPA in the console market. What's more, I'll place bets that an IE variant will end up running on it. Once Microsoft creates it's proprietary version of TCP/IP, you can guarantee that the X-box will use it too.

PS
I can't remember where I saw it, but some dedicated open source developer has started creating a Linux variant for the X-box, and busy writing drivers as we speak. My guess is that he needs some help if anyone is willing.

[voidmain]

Null Pointer, great name!  Maybe you happened to catch the "void main"/"int main"/"dev null" thread.  At any rate, http://www.xboxlinux.org/ is the URL to the project dedicated to getting Linux on the Xbox.  They actually have SuSe v8 running on the Xbox.

[Calum]

nice, however remember that for every xbox that runs linux, that's one xbox more that was bought and paid for where some of the money goes into Microsoft's pocket. It's like reformatting a copy of windows that you already paid for, fine, but you could have got a blank machine to start with.

edit - i mean you cannot get an xbox with no Microsoft operating system, like you can with a PC, so what i am saying is that the projects to run open source systems on a playstation, for example, sound more healthy to me.

[ September 18, 2002: Message edited by: Calum ]

[voidmain]

Calum, that is only true if you don't believe all the other bunk that was posted here stating that M$ actually loses money on the Xbox hardware itself. And that they make up for that loss in profit on game sales (plus some). Now I don't know what to believe but if it is true that M$ loses money on the Xbox sales I say we clear all the Xboxes off the shelves to make Linux super computer clusters with. No Xboxes means no game sales and M$ would lose twice.

I almost have to believe that they do lose money on the Xbox sales. If they didn't why would they be putting so much effort into making sure nothing else runs on it?