Posted 02/19/2009 at 03:59:06pm

You can charge whatever you want for any service or product, so long as there is market competition.  I don't see a monopoly when it comes to MS.  There is competition from Apple, Linux and a few dozen other Unix-like OSes.  So, the comsumer "votes with their wallet", if something is too expensive, they are free to go buy something else to get the job done, and if you can't, you pay the asking cost.  People pay for "downgrades" all the time because it disrupts build flow for a "custom" job.  Try to buy a luxury car with a manual transmission and cloth seats, see if they do charge for the "downgrade".  As for your argument about IE, I don't get that either, I use Windows every day and haven't touched IE for years, again there is competition out there (totally free too).  If people don't like the way MS does business, don't do business with MS, it's that simple.  I could see your point if other OSes didn't exist and Windows was it, but that's not the case, so take your money elsewhere if you're unhappy.  If enough people do this (take action instead of just bitching and moaning) maybe MS would take notice and change, or else wither on the vine. 

Posted 02/19/2009 at 11:46:06am

Free enterprise is what makes this a great country.  Microsoft and the OEMs can charge whatever they wish for their products, that's their choice.  If this woman wants XP, the price $XXX otherwise, move on.  With this mentality, you should be able to sue Toyota/Lexus because the Lexus brand charges more for essentialy the same chassiss with differetn options or sue Neimann Marcus for pricing their merchandise higher than Walmart ofr similar products.  This is simply supply vs demand.  MS is no longer making XP, so the supply dwindles, but the demand is still there for it, so price increases, this is Jr High Econ stuff.  I am surprised an idiot of this magnitude can even operate a computer, AND that she found a lawyer to take her case against MicroSoft.  The judge should just throw it out, maybe fine her for wasting the court's time.

Posted 11/19/2008 at 12:47:23pm

I'm sorry, I know this sounds cold, but I have absolutely no sympathy for this woman.  If you get taken by scams like this, you deserve what you get.  I'm tired of hearing people complain about losing their money to well documented scams like this.  We need to face, there are some people out there that are just dumb, or do dumb things (me included), and when we do those things, we should take our lumps, learn and move on.  i can see losing money to a well orchestrated scheme by pro con men (i.e. fake business investments and stocks and so forth) that provide a lot of material as "proof", but a random email from an unknown source, please.  Like the old sayings go, "If it seems too good to be true it is" and "A fool and their money are soon parted."

Posted 10/17/2008 at 02:25:34pm

I thought I was going to meet Justin Long...now all I ge tis recycled soda cans?  What the hell?

Posted 10/16/2008 at 03:24:58pm

These phones are approaching the functionality of full blown computers.  If Apple, Microsoft or Linux distributors said they can, and will, just go into  your PC and remove stuff they don't like, people would be furious.  When I buy a phone it becomes mine, and I should be able to do with it as I please.  Whatever happened to personal responsibility?  If I brick my phone, guess what?  It's MY FAULT, not the OS developer, not the carrier, but mine and mine alone, just like my PC, TV, stereo, XBOX, PS3, car or anything else I OWN.  These developers need to stop it with the Big Brother crap and just let us buy thier products and do with them as we will.  But this scares them, what if we find a way to do it better and promote a little competition, just like they (Apple and Google) did when they started up and/or revamped thier business model.  Oh no, the world would come to screeching halt if we all had full control over what we paid good money for.  Run for your lives!!!!

Posted 10/07/2008 at 05:26:20pm

I really like Beyond the Red Line.  The space flight sim is a dying art and this one is great, but it's been in beta forever.  With my HOTAS setup, it's a blast to play.