I think Steve Ballmer would have a heart attack if anyone ever proposed that. Judging by all the interviews he's had regarding Linux v Microsoft, he's very opposed to it. And he tends to have a fair say about what goes on at Microsoft. <div>On 8/2/06, Andrey Vul <<a href="mailto:andrey.vul@gmail.com">andrey.vul@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"> microsoft should officially support xbox/360 linux a la Novell (pay for support) they'll get filthy rich off of "boxed editions" - install hd/dvd with a huge instruction manual and fancy packaging and tech support btw xbox is easier to mod(-chip: 6 soldering points on xbox 1.6, 0 for 1.0-1.5, ps2 has 20-something pins) On 8/2/06, Hubert Figuiere <<a href="mailto:hub@figuiere.net">hub@figuiere.net</a>> wrote: > On Wednesday 02 August 2006 14:00, Gareth Evans wrote: > > I'd imagine the reason that vendors do not make software for ubuntu/linux > > in general is because it does not make money (which vendors have been known > > to like). While of course it is cheaper to make the software, there can't > > really be any meaningful return on it if it's going to be free (as in > > beer). Of course, there are some vendors such as Novell, etc that have > > caught on that you can make a lot of money on supporting the free product - > > which I hope will be the case for many more vendors. > > Not. It is more about conservatism. They want to keep the same business model, > and the problem is that Linux by itself does not allow technically that > business model: proprietary software with a pay per use[1]. > > Think about that whole music industry that now require DRM because they still > want to control who play what now that duplicating CD with hifi quality is > easy and cheap, and that exchanging music is easy too with the advent of > broadband. So instead of trying to find new ways to make business, they try > to find new way to protect their business. > > Imagine, what would have happened if in the early 20th century, the candle > sticks manufacturers would have outlawed lightbulbs because it was killing > their business? > > Markets evolve, and business has to evolve. The only fact that Microsoft > spread FUD about free software and linux is because they pose a threat to > Microsoft. The day Microsoft won't be able to make excessive revenue on > Microsoft Office (90% profit) or on Windows licenses (55%), they will have to > shutdown unprofitable businesses: MSN, XBox, etc. that are actually losing > money. > > > Hub > > [1] yes, software you buy us pay per use, as you don't own it. It is a > service, not a good, beside the eventual documentation and physical media, > but even these are less and less provided. > > -- > ubuntu-ca mailing list > <a href="mailto:ubuntu-ca@lists.ubuntu.com">ubuntu-ca@lists.ubuntu.com</a> > <a href="https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-ca">https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-ca </a> > -- -AV- -- ubuntu-ca mailing list <a href="mailto:ubuntu-ca@lists.ubuntu.com">ubuntu-ca@lists.ubuntu.com</a> <a href="https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-ca">https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-ca </a> </blockquote></div>