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steamboat26

macrumors 65816
May 25, 2006
1,123
0
Arlington VA
The OS that Microsoft makes is horrible, but the Xbox is a great machine. It does have its flaws, like reliability, but its game lineup and XBL are unrivaled this generation
 

kuebby

macrumors 68000
Jan 18, 2007
1,582
13
MD
I had a 360 but I'm selling it because I can't stand it, it's made and supported like a Microsoft product (big surprise there!): reliability issues (1/3 failure rate), forced to extend warranty from 90 days to 3 years (unheard of), proprietary everything, expensive accessories, and frequent updates to the console (some would say nice but it hurts the overall experience by forcing developers to create for the lowest common denominator).

I'll stick with my PS3. But only because Apple doesn't make an iGame (or whatever they would call their console).
 

GFLPraxis

macrumors 604
Mar 17, 2004
7,152
460
forced to extend warranty from 90 days to 3 years (unheard of),

Isn't this a good thing? Most people have to PAY for extended warranties, Microsoft doled out one free.

proprietary everything

Isn't this pretty much standard? GameCube, XBox, PS2 were proprietary everything.

and frequent updates to the console (some would say nice but it hurts the overall experience by forcing developers to create for the lowest common denominator).

Realistically no more than the PS3. Both have had three models.
 

kuebby

macrumors 68000
Jan 18, 2007
1,582
13
MD
Isn't this a good thing? Most people have to PAY for extended warranties, Microsoft doled out one free.

Isn't this pretty much standard? GameCube, XBox, PS2 were proprietary everything.

Realistically no more than the PS3. Both have had three models.

-It's a good thing for consumers who purchased a machine with what could be called a design flaw. MSFT has lost something like $6B since they began their xbox experiment, stockholders may well cut them off at some point. They have deep pockets but there is a bottom.

The 360 just seems more proprietary to me. PS3 can use any BT headset or wireless keyboard, wii can use SD cards but the 360 is the only one that still uses proprietary memory cards.

There is a difference (I think) between Sonys models and Microsofts. As Microsoft keeps adding SKUs they add (and have) different basic features, mainly HDMI and hard drive. Every PS3 comes with a BR-ROM drive, HD, BT, and HDMI; a feature set enough to play any game online and in high-def. But a 360 core has no HD meaning it is severely limited and when developers create games they have to create 360 (and multi-platform) games knowing that some people do not have a HD built into their console.
 

progx

macrumors 6502a
Oct 3, 2003
783
893
Pennsylvania
I never got into the Xbox. I've always been Nintendo and Sony. But, as stated before, many people separate Windows and Xbox. The 360 shows the huge separation, but not enough to make me buy one.

Besides, when Apple makes their own console, everyone will just go to that because Steve told us too. Haha.

Many Mac users also own a PC just for gaming. I do. Windows XP Pro, makes me happy every day to know I have Mac OS X. It would be hell using a Windows machine for everything.

Mac for design and work.
Wii, PC, PS2 and DS for gaming.
iPod for music.

Besides, why would we hate Microsoft anymore? We got our revenge. The company is in chaos right now. They just follow everyone else now. I don't know if they're money losses are substantial, but I've heard they been misleading the public on their revenues and products. The Xbox is probably the only product doing well at this point. Zune being the worst.

As the old Mac Surf Shop shirt went, Linux for productivity, Macs for design, Palm for mobility and Windows for Solitaire.

Steamboat26, the only reason Xbox games are "unrivaled" at this point is it was rushed out. Now Microsoft is paying for it, then everyone else will catch up.
 

GFLPraxis

macrumors 604
Mar 17, 2004
7,152
460
I've always been Nintendo/Sony, but this time around Sony's kind of pushed me away.

XBox 360 is on the road to winning me over, but jury's still out. But they're looking preferred to Sony, so far.
 

overcast

macrumors 6502a
Jun 27, 2007
997
6
Rochester, NY
I really don't much care for Microsoft in general, but hardware issues aside, 360 is a fine console, I'm not going to hate it just for the sake of hating it. What would the point be in that? Granted, I still prefer Wii...
Oh you haven't forgotten about the Wii like the rest of us yet?
 

plinkoman

macrumors 65816
Jul 2, 2003
1,144
1
New York
Oh you haven't forgotten about the Wii like the rest of us yet?

Indeed there has been a "drought" so to speak as to quality games since Zelda (and maybe Super Paper Mario), but with metroid prime 3 coming out the 27th of this month, and with the rest of the year bringing Battalion Wars 2, Geometry Wars, Mario Galaxy, and Smash Bros. among others, I think that drought is pretty much over. ;)
 

Haoshiro

macrumors 68000
Feb 9, 2006
1,894
6
USA, OR
There are a lot more Mac users now... Apple really boosted sales going to Intel. I was a PC switcher myself.

So you have a lot of PC gamers who have switched to Macs (yep, despite the low-mid graphics cards), and many of them already had a 360 in the first place.

When I decided to switch, that was my plan, Mac for computing, Boot Camp for the occasional LAN Party, and Xbox 360 for my primary gaming.

Plenty of others had the same idea, it's worked great :D
 

mkaake

macrumors 65816
Apr 10, 2003
1,153
0
mi
Apple hates great graphics. Just admit it. Its written all over the products they make. Whats in a MacPro? 7300GT and thats sitting in a $2,000 or more machine.

DHM, I've been listening to you make the same argument over and over for the last several years, and it's getting pretty old.

Not because it's the same argument over and over again, but because you never listen when the answers to your questions (or counter-points to your rants) are posted.

The 7300GT is the base card in a Mac Pro because Mac Pro's are actually used by some people who don't care about framerates in 3d games. When running 2d CAD, or mathematical simulation, or a very *wide* variety of business applications, the 3d ability of the video card doesn't matter. So why throw in a $200 video card, to placate the loud few who complain about the base video card in a professional machine? If you need more from your video card (or just want more), you can... wait for it... upgrade when you purchase the machine. I know it's a crazy idea, but it can be done...

There is a world outside of your own, and a very large group of computer users who don't think (thankfully) exactly like you do.
 

zero2dash

macrumors 6502a
Jul 6, 2006
846
0
Fenton, MO
We hate Microsoft for two primary reasons:

1) Their software generally sucks.
2) They've got a monopoly that hurts us, the consumers, and allows them to gouge us on the price if we give in to it (see ridiculous pricing on Windows Vista and Office).

Windows is a good os if properly configured, Office is a good software suite.
What other software do they make really...?

As for their "monopoly", vote with your wallet.
You don't like Windows? There's a million Linux distros out there, all for the same price - free. You don't want to pay for Word or Excel, go download OpenOffice - also free.

BTW - the same thing can be said about Apple in terms of monopoly, although I'm sure everyone and their grandma on here will boo hoo and cry "oh noes" and flame me, but it's the truth. Apple bought out their competition in the old PowerMac days, or forced them out of business. Apple has a monopoly on their software and their computers, you either pay their high price or choose otherwise.

But I suppose Microsoft's the one to blame because they kill small kittens but Apple doesn't so y'all will look the other way. :rolleyes: Whaaaaatever...
 

GFLPraxis

macrumors 604
Mar 17, 2004
7,152
460
Windows is a good os if properly configured,


No. It's not. If properly configured, it WORKS, but there's a difference between working and being good.

Do you know why companies have to lock all their users out of admin rights? It's not for fun, it's because with Windows users can screw up their machines so easily that it saves them tons of money in support to only give admin access to people who need it for their jobs.

The fact is that with Windows it requires a lot more time and effort to MAINTAIN the computer for it to perform well. I prefer my computer to not be so fragile that it requires me to consume time keeping it working well.


As for their "monopoly", vote with your wallet.

It's nowhere NEAR that easy, and you know it. Microsoft has deliberately throughout their history tried to make it difficult to work without their software. They broke Java and HTML standards so that websites would only work in Internet Explorer, they leveraged the monopoly to threaten companies to keep them from preinstalling Netscape even when customers asked...

Read the department of justice's findings sometime. Microsoft HAS utilized their monopoly to harm consumers, proven in court.

BTW - the same thing can be said about Apple in terms of monopoly, although I'm sure everyone and their grandma on here will boo hoo and cry "oh noes" and flame me, but it's the truth. Apple bought out their competition in the old PowerMac days, or forced them out of business. Apple has a monopoly on their software and their computers, you either pay their high price or choose otherwise.

Do you even understand what we're talking about? Apple doesn't have a monopoly with leveraging power; if they try to force people to use Safari, people just will forgoe Apple altogether. If Microsoft tries to force people to use Internet Explorer, everyone on unsupported platforms are left in the lurch.

"Apple has a monopoly on their own software" is just ridiculous. Yeah, Nintendo has a monopoly on their own software too. So does Sony on the PS3 and Microsoft on the XBox 360! It's a VERY different situation from Microsoft with a 90% marketshare running around bullying everyone else and using their enormous funds to put minor competitors out of business and crushing innovation.

The 'vote with your wallet' argument doesn't work when you don't have a choice.
 

zero2dash

macrumors 6502a
Jul 6, 2006
846
0
Fenton, MO
No. It's not. If properly configured, it WORKS, but there's a difference between working and being good.

A matter of personal opinion.
I'd expect nothing less than Microsoft bashers on these forums though. Hell, half the people on here refer to them as "M$", which never goes out of style. :rolleyes:

Do you know why companies have to lock all their users out of admin rights? It's not for fun, it's because with Windows users can screw up their machines so easily that it saves them tons of money in support to only give admin access to people who need it for their jobs.

Admin accounts by default. Takes an extra few minutes to create a standard user account, password protect the admin one, and disable it. Big deal.

Whether a company does or does not restrict user accounts has nothing to do with the os; it has to do with whether the company is stupid or not. There's easier ways to lock down a Windows machine, btw, using group edit and policies, but again...I'm sure 99% of the users on here didn't know that or don't bother to admit it because it's much easier to just throw more wood on the 'Microsoft hate' fire.

The fact is that with Windows it requires a lot more time and effort to MAINTAIN the computer for it to perform well. I prefer my computer to not be so fragile that it requires me to consume time keeping it working well.

Again, personal opinion.
I spend less than 10 minutes a month maintaining each Windows machine I own, administer, or have access to.

I equally spend 10 minutes maintaining OSX every month, running Yasu to clean caches, run cron updates, repair permissions, etc.

If Microsoft tries to force people to use Internet Explorer, everyone on unsupported platforms are left in the lurch.

But they don't so your point is moot. Microsoft isn't forcing anyone to use IE. No on Windows, not on Macs. It's there to be used; they're not putting measures in place that restrict someone from installing a competing browser, last I checked. :rolleyes:

"Apple has a monopoly on their own software" is just ridiculous. Yeah, Nintendo has a monopoly on their own software too. So does Sony on the PS3 and Microsoft on the XBox 360! It's a VERY different situation from Microsoft with a 90% marketshare running around bullying everyone else and using their enormous funds to put minor competitors out of business and crushing innovation.

What competition was out there/is out there that they're sending running for the hills?
OS/2 Warp?
Unix?
Linux?

Get real.

When has Microsoft bought out a competing os company?
Go ahead though, bring up all that BS about Sun, I'm sure that's your next plan of attack. :rolleyes:

The 'vote with your wallet' argument doesn't work when you don't have a choice.

Yes, someone at Microsoft is holding a gun to your head saying "buy our os! buy our office suite! you will be 'teh d00med' without us!!~!"

You have a choice. Run it or don't run it. Buy or don't buy. Just like I have a choice to pay Apple's premium for their overpriced outdated hardware just to use their os, or I could build a better computer at a cheaper price and be forced to put Windows on it. :rolleyes:
(well, I kid about the 'forced to put Windows on it' bit)

You talk about Microsoft using money to force companies into bending over which is rubbish.
Last I checked, the only company who bought anyone out (in this argument) was Apple buying out Power Computing, a Mac clone company who was getting great sales on the Power Mac clones because their prices were cheaper than Apples yet the quality was nearly as good. But Apple was intimidated, so what'd they do? Buy Power Computing. Then they essentially forced the other Mac clone companies to close (Umax being one of the largest ones left). But, absolutely...no monopolies here.

I'll end with the OT stuff for now, I don't expect to get anywhere on these forums defending Microsoft which is why I go elsewhere for Microsoft topics where people are more open minded. :cool:
 

shinji

macrumors 65816
Mar 18, 2007
1,329
1,515
I don't hate Microsoft at all...just think Apple's products are significantly better :apple:
 

0098386

Suspended
Jan 18, 2005
21,574
2,908
Get an original XBOX, mod it, pop in XBMC, and tell me its not the greatest thing, ever.

This is true. I only played a few games on my original Xbox, the media centre was why I kept it. Even recently I streamed a few TV shows from my iMac to my Xbox in the living room, completely capable media centre there.

To the topic in hand, I use my Wii and DS for gaming, my Xbox 360 for the occasional blast, my iMac (through bootcamp) for Half Life 2. I ¨Hate¨ Sony for giving me the short stick on many occasions; bad lasers, shoddy cheap build quality, horrific controllers, cheap materials with high price (in the case of Minidisc).
 

0098386

Suspended
Jan 18, 2005
21,574
2,908
Windows is a little bit rubbish, it's a necessary evil for me. It's unreliable, slow, requires many external apps to get basic security. I'm not keen on it at all which is why I switched in 2004.

I'm tempted to say the only good thing M$ makes is the 360, but then you look at failure rates. It's hard to know what they're good at since when they do something right, it's marred by something very wrong. On paper the Zune could be good, but it's b****cks and maxes at 30gb. They make good mice, but in my own experience they're prone to failing after a few years (whereas my Logitech and Razer mice are still going).

With all the mess of the 360's Red Ring problem, and with the lack of (IMO) good games, I wouldn't have a 360 if I wasn't given a modded one.
The DS, Wii and Xbox 1 are the only systems worth it at the moment, again, IMO.
 

icecone

macrumors regular
Jun 8, 2007
168
0
I have a 360
I bought it only because I couldn't wait for the PS3.
It's still like all other Microsoft products. It's not user-friendly, and sometimes it freezes, and the hardware failure.
You need to pay Microsoft points to buy some cars/maps in games:mad:
I'd recommend PS3 if you want to buy something now.
 

SpankyPenzaanz

macrumors 6502a
Sep 4, 2006
705
0
I just don't have energy nor the time to hate microsoft when i spend so much time hating walmart. Only one megacorporation gets all the hate from me and i made my choice.
 

Echinda

macrumors regular
Apr 24, 2003
137
0
I use a Mac because it is the best home computer for my needs (emphasis on "my needs" - your mileage may vary.)

I use a 360 because it is the best console for graphics intensive games (best meaning widest selection of games and great graphics). I would prefer better reliability but that isn't a deal killer due to MS' commitment to their warranty (which I've had to personally experience, unfortunately).

Apple and Windows fanboy ravings don't come into the equation. If Microsoft built their own hardware and Vista was a better OS than OSX, I would switch. No question. But they don't and it isn't so I use a Mac.
 
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