RE: [tlug] Re: [CoLoCo] RESPECT MICROSOFT

["Stephen J. Turnbull" <stephen@example.com>]

Curt Sampson writes:

 > On Fri, 17 Aug 2007, Stephen J. Turnbull wrote:
 > 
 > > Curt Sampson writes:
 > >
 > > > No, as you point out, everybody has a choice. MS and Intel are moving
 > > > toward supporting very strong DRM, but they don't have to do that.
 > >
 > > Sure they do, if the market demands it.
 > 
 > But the market does not appear to be demanding it, at least not very
 > strongly. MS and Intel are adding DRM because the large content owners
 > won't let their devices play the content otherwise, but there seems to
 > me no massive demand for playing DVDs on Windows boxes and the like.
 > What demand there is is probably created by Microsoft and Intel by their
 > chosing to make and promote the products.

So what you're saying is that WinTel could choose to simply ignore DRM
and not have the capability to play DRM-ed content.  Right?

Sure, that's an option, but if the cost of adding DRM is less than the
additional revenue, the market is "demanding" it.  A dollar earned
from "weak demand" or "yarase demand" is still a dollar.

I think the odds are pretty good that the cost is *zero* + marketing
expense for both companies.  In other words, Microsoft and Intel need
to have the technology for use in embedded systems aimed at the
consumer market anyway.  As long as they have it, why not add it to
the WinTel product lines, too?

If you know otherwise, pray, do tell.  But FWIW that's my logic.