Yeah, M$ has given us most of our necessary technology, but good god are they offenders for screwing customers over.
I won’t list all the problems I have against MS but why should someone have to pay for a new Xbox 360 if there’s a hardware failure from something they, the consumer, didn’t cause? If you get an RROD, its MS’s fault and they aren’t fixing the problem even nearly 5-8 years after the 360 has been released.
Windows Advantage has also screwed me over once, because I have Windows XP. If you go through with WA it disables some of your OS’ important functions, like the ability to get updates, and then your stuck with a background. This leaves you open for viruses and hackers, then when you get a virus, MS prompts you to pay $100 for MS Windows Advantage or their Internet Security software to delete them.
If you run out of Warranty for your Xbox 360 then you have to pay the full price for the system yourself to replace it, if you get a problem that isn’t the RROD. The 360 can have random HD failures, as well as other things that MS doesn’t try to fix and won’t replace.
M$ is cheap as hell, their hardware sucks. The only reason I have a 360 is for the games, and the reason I use Windows is its the only good PC OS, and Macs suck. You can’t pirate music or games anyway on an Mac.
You’re quite harsh, but I agree with you in essence. If you want a computer that won’t crash and performs better, get a Mac. If you are poorer and want something that is buggy, but for the most part, will help you do your job, the get a PC.
The anti-IP crowd would claim that anyone should be able to produce xbox 360s, which would lower prices, increase quality, and leave the room open for better insurance in case the hardware goes bunk. So, yes, MS is using unethical business practices by hiding behind IP laws.
Microsoft provided you with a product, like they do all of the consumers who purchase their goods and services. If they have an issue with quality, it sounds more like your own personal expectations of that product are not being met and less of Microsoft acting unethically.
For a substitute for the XBox 360, you can switch to the Sony PS3 or the Nintendo Wii. Unless the games you play are specifically for the XBox platform, most video game producers offer their products for multiple platforms.
For a substitute of the Windows OS–and since Macs are apparently out of the question–you can always format your computer to operate with Linux or Unix, most of which is offered free as an open source product and has pretty good support through the network of programmers that continue to contribute.
If you don’t like Windows there are other OS to choose from. Some of them are even free… Personally I’ve never had a issue with Windows XP but, again, it came with the PC I am typing right now and I mostly use free software (Open Office etc). My only complain is with IE8 (itself a rip off of a much glorified Mac application) but, again, when I grew tired of it I simply ditched it for one of the many free browsers available.
On the Xbox360 I agree with you: the product could have been improved over the years. The only thing they did is offering extended warranty exclusively for the Four Red LED error. But again, we’ve been spoiled rotten by Japanese manufacturers. I have a series of old Japanese consoles (Genesis, Dreamcast etc) which still work perfectly. MS followed a pattern set up by Sony and sells the console with minimal margin (some say they don’t even break even) and make up for it with game licenses, so the console is made to a budget. My brother worked for years in electronics and he saw all these attempts at saving money by using cheap components that give up the ghost after a little while and when he quit things were still getting worse. Guess why they call them consumers electronics?