Message-ID: <005301c37933$c5657700$03fea8c0@Static>
From: chrisw at cinci.rr.com (Chris Wanstrath)
Subject: Computer Sabotage by Microsoft

For some reason, it seems the fact that Stefan subscribes to Xbox Live
and connected to their server is being overlooked by all but a few.
This is a service offered by Microsoft that one pays to subscribe for.
Every persistent online game I can think of auto-patches you.  Earth &
Beyond, Planetside, Star Wars: Galaxies, etc.  That's the way it is
because that is what you agree to in order to get everyone constantly on
the same playing field.  You paid for a subscription to Xbox Live, you
gave them permission to modify your dashboard to connect, and you
connected.  It's not like you plugged in your Xbox fresh out of the
wrapping and it started downloading like crazy... People cheat on Xbox
Live, and if the font overflow is in any possibility way to cheat, then
that's why it was taken out.  Granted, I don't know that for sure.  I
don't know if any of the font/MA/AUF overflows specifically allow
cheating on Live, but I'm sure Microsoft would say so if you asked them.


It just seems unlikely under any jurisdiction that the argument, "I
bought Xbox Live, connected to their servers, signed up for an account,
and was auto-patched" would hold much weight.  Microsoft is offering you
the Live service and you are agreeing that, in order to connect, you
will allow them to consistently update your software. 

I'm not saying any of this is right, but I doubt that this formula will
change because we're talking about console games.  The console game
business is very different from the computer game business.  As I'm sure
most everyone knows, console makers actually lose money on every
physical console they sell because they aren't selling simply a box;
they are selling a channel in which you can be marketed a wider array of
goods than you could have before you bought it.  In a literal sense,
that's how things like DVD players are, too, but when Microsoft is paid
a licensing fee for every Xbox title and gets royalties on every game
sold, they get tons of profit where DVD manufacturers and other
electronics companies don't.  When you get an Xbox, you are then
presented with the opportunity to play and, more importantly, BUY all
kinds of games.  Same with the Playstation 2.  Microsoft doesn't like
people like Stefan because they use their Xboxes in ways that could
potentially end their buying.  Microsoft takes a loss on this because
they lost money when they sold the console and now they're not going to
recover it through the games, or lack thereof, the hacker buys.  This is
the reason Microsoft will do whatever it wants to your Xbox, and the way
Sony will do the same thing when they are in the position to.   

Modding will always be the enemy of console makers because it is seen as
a way to not just pirate games but end your dependence on the console
company.  

--
Chris Wanstrath : chrisw@...ci.rr.com
LW Consulting   : www.lw-consulting.com

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