[OT]Console Losses Was RE: [ILUG] Thoughts on a digital media server...

[Dermot Daly]

There's nothing new about losing money selling consoles.  The same was
said of the PS2 when it came out.

As for getting one over on MS by buying a console and never buying a
game ?  Think of all the gamers who have made it up on your account by
purchasing tens or even hundreds of titles.

Heck, MS probably even gets royalties on titles that are unsoled, but
produced.

My 0.02. 

Now back to our usual programming...

-----Original Message-----
From: Alan Horkan [mailto:horkana at maths.tcd.ie] 
Sent: 05 April 2004 16:31
Cc: ilug
Subject: Re: [ILUG] Thoughts on a digital media server...



On Mon, 5 Apr 2004, Glen Gray wrote:

> On Mon, 2004-04-05 at 13:22, Conor Wynne wrote:

> > I'll never understand why people go out and buy an XBOX, "just to 
> > run linux on" because it "costs microsoft".
> >
> > Rubbish, Its all an extra sale for MS to show figures to the press 
> > so that

> I bought the xbox 'cause it's a bloody good games console and was a 
> damn site cheaper than upgrading my PC. Whether MS make any money off 
> the xbox or not is beyond my scope of caring. It's a powerful console 
> that is now extending its functionality for ME. Doing what I want it 
> to do.

I can understand why you wouldn't care and clearly hacking a box you
already have makes more sense than buying/building another.

I just want to add my two cents in case anyone might actually think
buying from microsoft is a clever way to try and hurt them.

http://www.actsofgord.com/Proclamations/chapter02.html
"Anyway, Microsoft is losing money per console sold, not including what
they are spending advertising and support.  Reports have it fall between
$50 to $105 lost per console.  MS has only said that they are losing
money, and won't comment on how much."

You might think this really does mean Microsoft is making a loss on the
Xbox but it is not that simple.  The technology is old and the
production cost inevitably falls dramatically.  While some companies
might make a small initial loss it is very unlikely they continue to
make a loss for very long.


I prefer a console that can play DVDs but as you have already stated for
your purposes that is exactly what you dont want!  After a long
discussion I had last week I'm still wondering if I succesfully
convinced my friend to go with the Playstation2.

Sincerely

Alan H.
-- 
Irish Linux Users' Group http://www.linux.ie/mailman/listinfo/ilug/