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Thread ID: 67401 2006-03-26 18:56:00 Microsoft Computers? newb. (10067) Press F1
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440950 2006-03-26 18:56:00 Quick question.

I know that MS publish operating systems, gaming consoles etc.. But I'm curious do they also manufacture computer systems? I've never seen any before, though a big company like themseleves, I'm confident that they probably do. Maybe they're linked with the computer manufacturer Gateway? That's just a guess.

Thanks.
newb. (10067)
440951 2006-03-26 21:33:00 No they don't and never have. pctek (84)
440952 2006-03-26 23:05:00 Micro$oft has had enough problems with anti-monopoly lawsuits and racketeering fines etc, and you think they should be in any way involved in getting into hot water this way? SurferJoe46 (51)
440953 2006-03-26 23:11:00 There isn't enough money in selling complete systems for Microsoft - the market is so competitive the big manufacturers barely make enough profit off each box to pay for 1 toll free tech support call by the customer.

Microsoft love their high profit software lines (Windows and Office) - after the initial investment, their software is almost all profit because of the minimal duplication & distrobution costs
Greven (91)
440954 2006-03-27 01:13:00 There's a hardware division at Micro$oft, but no complete systems. Probably the closest would be the various hardware for Media Center PC's.

www.microsoft.com
kingdragonfly (309)
440955 2006-03-28 18:17:00 Microsoft makes operating systems - not hardware. Other firms supply that.

Microsoft also provides program(me)s for those systems.

Some you may want & others you're stuck with.
That's because they're integrated with the operating system. All you can do is immobilise them, not remove them completely.

Microsoft decided software is where the money is, provided you capitalise on an early advantage with constant marketing.
That's been a very good choice for Bill Gates so far.

So why would he want to make hardware, when its faults are more conspicuous and more easily explained to the public?

Marketing skills alone can make a billionaire, irrespective of computer knowledge - together with a snippet or two of luck.
Laura (43)
440956 2006-03-28 21:01:00 Microsoft makes operating systems - not hardware.
To be correct, MS remakes O/Ss.
pctek (84)
440957 2006-03-28 22:59:00 To be correct, MS remakes O/Ss.
I heard a nasty rumour that NT was based on OS/2. Is that correct?
Greven (91)
440958 2006-03-28 23:51:00 I heard a nasty rumour that NT was based on OS/2. Is that correct?

Partly - I understand that when IBM and MS parted their ways over a disagreement over OS/2, the MS software engineers went back to MS and started on NT. I seem to remember that there were some court cases about this?
johnd (85)
440959 2006-03-29 02:01:00 You might be interested in "Pirates of Silicon Valley"
www.salon.com

"Gates, we're told, not only connived to get DOS for a pittance, but copied Apple's graphical interface for Windows. Jobs, in turn, had pilfered that same interface and the mouse from Xerox PARC."
kingdragonfly (309)
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