Germany Bans the Xbox 360

[Therumancer]

It will be interesting to see how it all plays out, I can hardly say that I feel sorry for Microsoft. That said, I'd imagine a lot of German gamers are less than pleased given that this seems like it's going to seriously hurt both the console and PC platforms given that windows seems to be covered under the ruling.

That said I wouldn't be shocked if a bunch of Motorola execs die in an plane accident or something, followed by the company dropping it's claims. It probably won't happen, but if it did, I'm calling "first to predict it" (at least on these forums).

Ok, I need you to state, clearly, whether or not you are seriously suggesting that you predict Microsoft will assassinate Motorola execs.

No, which should be apparent given the emoticon.

Sometimes I can be quite dry in what I say, trying to make it come accross as 100% serious, which is why I use emoticons so often in my posts. Despite this some of the straight answers I get (which I continue from) is part of the humor. Which I figure close to 99% of people get.

I was tempted to write something in response cribbed from Shadowrun and Cyberpunk 2020 source material, but I'm guessing this is a serious inquiry given your tone, and your position at "The Escapist".

For the record an Assasination right now wouldn't accomplish anything as the ruling was already made. I could go into a bunch of reasons why, but it's well out of context to the discussion.

Seperate statements, the first statement (paragraphs) about German gamers probably being unhappy is intended seriously. Windows and the 360 both being huge ways of gaming. There is no emoticon. The second paragraph... I included a " " which is generally a sign that you can't take it 100% seriously. In many cases it's a sign I'm exagerrating at the very least.

For clarity, my question was serious, but had nothing to do with my position here. I was trying to discern exactly how crazy you were. Appreciate you taking the time to clarify.

How Crazy I am? Meh, I'll be the first to tell you that I'm totally off my rocker.

As far as the rest goes, I forgot to expand on how assination won't accomplish everything, but Microsoft is probably going to use those back doors they are infamous for putting into their OSes to cripple Germany with history's biggest cyberterrorism attack, forcing Germany to change it's ruling or be sent back to the informational stone age. Much more efficient than just killing a bunch of executives.

Rats, now I can't even get into it....

 

[The Lugz]

So Microsoft vs. Germany
Luckily none of them nuclear weapons

true, but Microsoft have far more weapons these days it wouldn't be a fair fight

 

[Lionsfan]

For using codecs? srsly? Microsoft, Motorola? Look at yourselves.

You both look like this:
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

[small]After looking at the URL of the "genious" meme image, I will now collect my prize for using the biggest URL every entered for a single object on these forums. I would like to thank my family and friends, the community here on teh forums and the employees of teh magazine for making this a reality. Just, wow - and thank you all.[/small]

Spoiler: Back OT:

[small](much better!)[/small]

It's codecs, for goodness sake. Why'd you go use another company's, Microsoft, instead of your own and Motorola; are you REALLY going to follow that up? You're blockading the distribution of an incredibly popular tech corporations products, you'll just make an enemy of the people by doing that - and aren't you about to be bought by Google. WTF is wrong with these people?

Holy shit how did you find that long of a url? That doesn't seem possible...

 

[Deshin]

If I were Microsoft I'd do one of two things:

Plan A: Just say fuck Germany and the German courts. Recall everything from there and outright ban further products from ever being legally distributed in Germany. They can't do much about the Motorola situation in the US, but fucking over Germany would send a message.

Plan B: Buy the codec of Motorola wholesale (not like they haven't got the money to do it) and then ban Moto from ever using it ever again so they have to come up with another entirely new codec from scratch and remake all their hardware that runs that codec.

 

[Bvenged]

For using codecs? srsly? Microsoft, Motorola? Look at yourselves.

You both look like this:
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

[small]After looking at the URL of the "genious" meme image, I will now collect my prize for using the biggest URL every entered for a single object on these forums. I would like to thank my family and friends, the community here on teh forums and the employees of teh magazine for making this a reality. Just, wow - and thank you all.[/small]

Holy shit how did you find that long of a url? That doesn't seem possible...

I don't know man, I don't know. Google images did it, but only this once. It's not even a real URL. But I googled "genius meme" on Google UK and BLAM.

 

[redisforever]

Interesting. I mean I understand it being allowed to ban the infringing product from being sold, but other non-related products? That seems a little...extreme.

I knew copyright laws were terrible, but not this terrible.

Well, they're not non-related products. You see, they distribute WMP in Windows 7, and this is about a video codec they're distributing with them. I assume that IE also uses this codec.

 

[ZeZZZZevy]

Interesting. I mean I understand it being allowed to ban the infringing product from being sold, but other non-related products? That seems a little...extreme.

I knew copyright laws were terrible, but not this terrible.

Well, they're not non-related products. You see, they distribute WMP in Windows 7, and this is about a video codec they're distributing with them. I assume that IE also uses this codec.

Ah I see. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[Arrogancy]

These kinds of news always remind me of this quote:

"If the real world could be patented like software, expect to be sued every time you place one foot in front of the other to propel yourself forwards."

Oh, this thread is gonna have so many nazi jokes, isn't it? *sigh*

I can say I did nazi this coming.

Anne Frankly, I won't stand for it.

Really Reiching for puns, aren't we?

These Nazi jokes are making me Fuhrerious.

I don't know about you but I'm Goebbeling them up

Can we stop it with the Nazi puns, please; they're offensive and take me out of Mein Kampfort zone.

Come on, it's just for Auschwitz and giggles. Nothing wrong with that, SSurely?

Maybe some Luft-waffles will cheer everyone up. The we can Getstapoo with the Nazi puns?

You should have known that this was Goering to be a long thread.

Wermacht have to stop, we could seriously offend some people.

 

[Something Amyss]

And I suppose we can chalk this up to another case where a major software company suffers greatly from violating a software patent yet fails to learn that software patents are a bad thing.

Or just fails to realise that screwing with other people's intellectual properties is a bad idea.

 

[MPerce]

The lulz! THERE'S TOO MANY OF THEM!!!

This is a seriously huge fuck-up on Microsoft's part.

 

[Something Amyss]

Wait, it's not April 1st...
How can this even happen? Can someone explain this in legalese?

Motorola haz patent.

Microsoft maeks xbox using patent.

Motorola no liek Microsoft using patent.

Motorola suez.

Seriously, though, I don't know what needs to be explained.

 

[Right Hook]

Oh man, posters doing lame nazi jokes as if in an attempt to be part of one of those lame "pics of week" articles on some random crappy site, oh Escapists...I thought we were better than this.

 

[Quaxar]

While ordering them to destroy existing stock is harsh, it shouldn't come as a surprise. It's not like the Xbox would be the first thing cooked in a Deutsch oven.

Welp, gone Godwin in three replies. That's a pretty good result I'd say!

 

[Mr Companion]

These kinds of news always remind me of this quote:

"If the real world could be patented like software, expect to be sued every time you place one foot in front of the other to propel yourself forwards."

Oh, this thread is gonna have so many nazi jokes, isn't it? *sigh*

I can say I did nazi this coming.

Anne Frankly, I won't stand for it.

Really Reiching for puns, aren't we?

These Nazi jokes are making me Fuhrerious.

I don't know about you but I'm Goebbeling them up

So distasteful, I kamph believe you people!

Can we stop it with the Nazi puns, please; they're offensive and take me out of Mein Kampfort zone.

Come on, it's just for Auschwitz and giggles. Nothing wrong with that, SSurely?

Maybe some Luft-waffles will cheer everyone up. The we can Getstapoo with the Nazi puns?

You should have known that this was Goering to be a long thread.

Wermacht have to stop, we could seriously offend some people.

So distasteful, I kamph beleive you people!

 

[Gitty101]

THE PUNS. OH HOW THEY BURRRRN.

OT: This was unexpected. But I doubt it'll come to anything in the long run M$ is more then capable of paying what it needs to get its products back in Germany. I'll be surprised if they don't.

 

[xplosive59]

I did Nazi this coming and I don't think its Reich to ban something such as xbox 360 (or any form of non-offensive entertainment) cause they are gonna ghetto large backlash from inside the country as well as from busineSSes that sell and import electronic goods.

However saying that german Mac users are probably gloating right now about there computers superiority, anne frankly I don't think that the PC users should stand for this.

Im gona gestappo these Nazi puns reich now as they are Goering to get old quite quickly and are just Panzering to the crowd. Mein Kampf-idence isnt what I used to be so it took all my concentration to keep this post going for so long.

*sigh* I'm going to heil for this!

 

[Li Mu]

germany banning a lucrative business during economic crisis that doesnt seem smart.

It's this kind of thinking which causes problems. Microsoft is in breach of copyright laws and therefore need to pay for it. You're suggesting that Microsoft should be allowed to break laws because we're in a "economic crisis".
This kind of thinking happens in quite a few places and gets exploited by companies and governments.

In Tokyo over 900 companies were found to be breaking most employment laws. From forcing employees to work 50-60 hour weeks with no holiday or refusing to pay overtime. The government turns a blind eye to such things because "It's not good to fine companies during an economic crisis".
While I was living in Tokyo one of my clients (who worked for a bank) had not returned home in 5 days because he was working 18 hours a day and would sleep in his office.

So yeah, as silly as these laws may seem, they need to be respected.

Besides, German retailers over price their games so horrifically that I would never be able to afford games for an Xbox anyway. I'm living in Berlin now and my local Gamestop was selling 'Oblivion' for ?60.
?60 for a game as old as Oblivion! Madness.

I'm not entirely sure how this will affect imports. If I import a laptop from the UK, I cannot imagine that the authorities will check my laptops OS during shipping.

 

[Aeonknight]

So yea, I understand Motorola is trying to protect it's IP and all, and that's nice. But ordering destruction/recall of the item instead of just sueing for royalties or something more financial instead of destroying a product that many consumers enjoy?

Motorola can eat a dick in this case. Yea Microsoft fucked up but that quote from Motorola is worse. The consumers are going to be the ones getting the short straw here because of this little hissy fit.