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"You know, Sony can make 80,000 bricks, and people would buy them."

With Microsoft having just completed development on two major software releases and having recently secured a partnership with Novell on Suse Linux, Bill Gates surely has a lot to talk about. CNET's Ina Fried was able to interview Microsoft's founder and get his thoughts on the recent happenings at Microsoft.

Right of the bat, the discussion turned towards Windows Vista. The operating system went gold two weeks ago and is due to be available to retail customers on January 30. Bill Gates was drilled on the future of the SQL-based WinFS (Windows Future Storage). The feature was due to ship with Vista and was later dropped altogether.

"Well, you definitely still want a structured look for certain kinds of rich query. And if we're going to bring all these things of e-mail and files and photos, bring it together fully, we need more than just the search indexing. Search indexing takes you further than people expect, I would say. But eventually you'll need more of a database-type look to these things," said Gates.

Gates also went on to talk about the recent partnership with Novell. "In general, Linux is not nearly as high-volume as Windows is on servers. But (it's) significant, so customers want new kinds of interoperability." Gates goes on to say "We've done fantastic things on interoperability. Here, we're doing virtual machine interoperability. So you can just have a pool of hardware and applications that use Linux, applications that use Windows, and just have the VM manage which one needs more resource, which one is done, which one needs to be restarted."

On the subject of Microsoft's Xbox 360 console, which now has prime competition in the form of the Sony PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii, Gates is quite confident in the gaming platform. In fact, Gates wasted no time in touting Microsoft's enviable one-year head start on the market. "You know, Sony can make 80,000 bricks, and people would buy them. So the real competition--you're going to see the impact of our innovation and all the momentum we have in Christmas 2007. This Christmas, the story is: XBox 360 is going to sell super-well, and they'll sell the rounding error amounts they can make."

For the full interview, head on over to CNET News.

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Limited edition Sony bricks
By peternelson on 11/20/2006 9:04:00 AM , Rating: 4
"Sony can make 80,000 bricks, and people would buy them"

If it was a special edition of 80,000, branded Sony, I would buy one, particularly if it ran linux like the PS3 ;-)

Maybe Sony should take up Bill's idea.






RE: Limited edition Sony bricks
By togaman5000 on 11/20/2006 9:41:53 AM , Rating: 2
Do i get HDMI on my brick????

If so,I'd buy one for sure =P


RE: Limited edition Sony bricks
By Schmeh on 11/20/2006 12:49:02 PM , Rating: 2
No, you have to buy that seperatly. But you can connect your brick with other people's bricks to form a super wall.


RE: Limited edition Sony bricks
By encryptkeeper on 11/20/2006 12:53:45 PM , Rating: 2
But the new brick that will be released in 2007 won't be compatible with the cement from 2006.


RE: Limited edition Sony bricks
By umerok on 11/21/2006 12:33:11 PM , Rating: 2
But they promised backward compatibility!


RE: Limited edition Sony bricks
By peternelson on 11/20/2006 5:48:49 PM , Rating: 2
"But you can connect your brick with other people's bricks to form a super wall."

Of course, I KNEW Sony would use that Cell-to-Cell interconnectivity for a reason!

I suggested they put an upgrade connection or socket into the PS3 design to enable adding an extra cell later.

But looks like they saved that scaleability for the Sony SuperWall (tm) model. Add bricks as your HPC compute needs and budget allows ;-) Just like the SGI Origin 3000 "C-Bricks" (for CPU) etc.


I'm so sick of people blaming Microsoft for DRM
By obeseotron on 11/20/2006 12:34:45 PM , Rating: 4
All other complaints one might have about the Windows operating system, DRM support in Vista really shouldn't be one of them. Microsoft has nothing to gain by forcing DRM on anyone, if they had their way it would be far less oppressive, or not exist at all. Vista has SUPPORT for various DRM initiatives, as opposed to XP or Linux, which just won't work with things like HDCP video at all. It does not apply DRM to anything that doesn't already have it, it only provides support for playing it back. It plays everything Linux or XP currently play, with no DRM restriction, IN ADDITION to newer DRMed stuff.

It's either this, or we just never get the ability to do things like Cable HDTV, HDDVD or Blu Ray with our PCs at all. You're perfectly free to go use Ubuntu or stick to XP and not be able to do these things, but don't bitch at MS for providing the capability in Vista.

The DRM decisions are made in LA, not Seattle.




By milomnderbnder21 on 11/20/2006 1:22:33 PM , Rating: 2
You're simply wrong. Media companies demanded that Microsoft support various DRM measures in Vista, or else they just wouldn't let the media be played in the OS. Microsoft didn't have a choice.

How happy would you be if you couldn't put a CD into your computer and listen to it, or a dvd?



RE: I'm so sick of people blaming Microsoft for DRM
By GameManK on 11/20/2006 11:07:42 PM , Rating: 2
Somehow I think MS is at least as powerful as the RIAA/MPAA. If Microsoft were righteous and did not include support for DRM, the studios would have to make their media playable without it.


By Clienthes on 11/21/2006 4:47:45 AM , Rating: 2
I think you underestimate the lengths the RIAA/MPAA will go to in order to protect they're business.

If the content providers wouldn't bend and MS were "righteous" and didn't support DRM, then either you'd have an OS that couldn't play your media, or they'd have to go to court to fight DRM, spend more money than you have a right to ask of them on legal fees, delay launch of vista, and maybe or maybe not win the fight.

DRM is a business practice that will inconvenience you, and I'm sorry for that. I don't like it either, and I wish it wasn't going to happen. But it is happening and you, me, and MS have to deal with it whether we like it or not. Hopefully DRM will fail and in a couple years all this will be a moot point.


YES but............
By crystal clear on 11/20/2006 9:56:01 AM , Rating: 2
"Gates also went on to talk about the recent partnership with Novell."

YES but his CEO talks about-
Ballmer: Linux users owe Microsoft
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer today said he believes that Linux infringes on his company's intellectual property, an assertion that was promptly discounted by open-source software backers. Read the latest...

http://www.computerworld.com/news/index.jsp

Gates should comment on this & ofcourse on DRM-is it fair?





RE: YES but............
By swatX on 11/20/2006 1:33:04 PM , Rating: 2
go take a look at What google has acieved since it went public!

its more scary than Microsoft.


RE: YES but............
By swatX on 11/20/2006 1:33:53 PM , Rating: 2
crap that was targeted to the ms basher in the bottom!


i dont think it matters this season
By Phenick on 11/20/2006 9:01:31 AM , Rating: 2
I think that most parents this season are not going to care... All this hype about next gen consoles... ps3, xbox360, and wii.... most parents... the major part of the market that just buys stuff... are going to be gifting the cheapeast and most available




eh
By cciesquare on 11/21/2006 2:41:42 AM , Rating: 2
Discussion over Microsoft is like religion. Pretty soon its going to be added to the list of topics not to bring up at the dinner table.

The simple fact is windows is easy as heck to use, and linux is not.

I work in the helpdesk department and to be honest helping an overage joe with linux issues is a nightmare, and 100% of the time i actually have to go to the workstation. Compare with windows machine where i can recognize most problems and know the solutions off the top of my head. In general i spend more time troubleshooting Linux machines then windows.

I dont use linux as my main OS, i have it as a server/firewall/etc etc all the security stuff. But my main machine that i use daily will always be Windows base untill linux gets close to the useability of windows.




By OrSin on 11/20/2006 9:04:25 AM , Rating: 4
I just getting sick of MS bashers. I not a fan boy, but damn if his OS is so bad then don't use it. Why constantly complain about teh same thing over and over, when no one who cares gives a damn. If you even get in room with gates or a developer at MS then sure whine your head off.

Could MS OS be better. Sure it could be but to make something that both a Top level engineer and a grnadmother can use is hard. Then include in the lazy hardware manfuratures that put out bad drives.

And yes Gate has contributed more to Charities then anyone in history. And he did while still relatively young. But he gets no credit because most of the money has to minoraties.



By Aikouka on 11/20/2006 9:18:57 AM , Rating: 4
No, he gets no credit because people have some zany instilled hatred because their operating system has crashed before. Yet, I don't see why Party Poker causing system instability is Microsoft's fault? Maybe someone should create System Monitoring Anti-PEBKAC software? The software would track what you do and if it sees you making stupid decisions ( such as installing PartyPoker or something wonderful from 180 Solutions ), it will lower your access rights automatically. Therefore, you will not be able to make such dumb choices which gives your computer a PEBKAC.


By psychobriggsy on 11/20/2006 9:41:23 AM , Rating: 5
A decent OS doesn't let dodgy application software destabilise it.

However the OS isn't helped by application software trying to alter system libraries and configurations. Hence the increasing level of system file protection in Windows to stop applications (and more sneaky software) altering the OS.

We all know the sheepbrained masses won't bother to learn how to run a computer properly so they don't get viruses, spyware and all that. Even if the OS enforced non-administrator accounts for users, they'd happily pop in their password when it said "SpyOnYou Pro 4 Installer blah blah"...

The safest OS would be one that only executed applications that were signed by the OS vendor. If Microsoft went that route, you can imagine the uproar about limiting freedom, etc, even if the service was free and merely involved checking that the application was safe for end users. OTOH this is what Microsoft is moving towards for drivers (WHQL etc), but that's because it will guarantee good quality drivers only.


By Aikouka on 11/20/2006 10:30:16 AM , Rating: 1
The OS gives a lot of power, but so do most Linux variants. The thing is, almost everyone runs Windows as an Administrator, which is comparable to always running Linux in root (there's the "su" command in linux for a reason). Unfortunately, explaining to users that they should receive less access priviledges would probably fall on a deaf ear as most people would either not care or find it offensive that you consider them "too stupid" to manage Windows.


By kamel5547 on 11/20/2006 12:32:49 PM , Rating: 2
Well at least for home users... most of our user base runs as "power user" and cannot install *most* applications. Mind you I hate companies (Google for example) that design their applications so they cna be installed without admin privileges. Its amazing how little spyware there is compared to when people ran as admins. Of course it also has the side benefit of keeping all the licensing ducks in a row.


By emboss on 11/20/2006 11:15:08 PM , Rating: 2
Another reason could be that most of the money was obtained through what could be at best be described as unethical business practices ...


By AlexWade on 11/20/2006 11:37:02 AM , Rating: 4
Unlike most people, I've actually dabbled into complex world of the OS. In college, I had to write a program that would swap data in and out of pseudo-memory and into an actual page file as needed. It was very limited and simple being more akin to early page files, but it was still a very complex program. After that class, I had a newfound respect for any OS because of how very complex they are.

MS has done a lot of things that make me mad -- such as high prices on Office, DRM, the desire to control everything -- but they what they do with Windows has my utmost respect.

When you realize how complex an OS really is, you don't complain about all the security holes and spyware. Sure, Microsoft could do better with security. But make no mistake, Windows is a security target because you target what is most likely to succeed. How many novice people use Linux or Unix or OS X? By far, the most novice computer users use Windows. That is why Windows has a problem with spyware, because these idiots target where they are more likely to get a victim.


By Aikouka on 11/20/2006 11:49:27 AM , Rating: 4
Alex, I don't think your change of heart is far from the norm at all. It's very common in today's society to scorn what we don't understand. Think of waiting in line at a fast food restaurant... you tend to get angry at any long waits, yet you have no idea what's going on behind the scenes. When I was younger, I worked at one of those restaurants (namely McDonalds :P) and because of it, I gained a lot more understanding toward what happens in said environment. Because of that, I am never mad when my order ends up wrong, when I have to wait longer than normal or whatever. Although visiting a McDonalds in Virginia and not being able to understand the all-Hispanic crew was a different story. Albeit, it was a good experience to brush up on some español ;).

The same is really true for you and your OS-esque programming experience. You gained an understanding of how complex and Operating System really becomes. Essentially, you're the programmer who understands how hard a programmer's job really can be. The average Joe Schmoe doesn't understand this and because of it, he's quick to scorn.


By retrospooty on 11/20/2006 12:29:51 PM , Rating: 2
"So Bill Gates .... defrauding the world with his defective products."

There is a word for people that cant get thier OS to run properly... noobie.

Not to say that Windows is perfect, but it is by far the best thing out there. Everyone seems to complain about windows, yet they use it daily. What do you think the alternative is? OSX? Linux? Hardly up to snuff, niether is ready to take on anything remotley close to what Bill Gates and that "horrible" windows software has accomplished.


By Topweasel on 11/20/2006 1:18:36 PM , Rating: 2
I had to give you a negative score for your inability to read.

He was making a point that PS3 was in shorter supply then forcasted (by a couple 10k allotments)due to them rounding, and also by slightly higher then Sony planned failure rates.

He basically said the X-box360 will sell well and that sony will sell whatever amount they end up making.


Gee That Didn't Take Long
By qdemn7 on 11/20/06, Rating: -1
RE: Gee That Didn't Take Long
By dalhectar on 11/20/06, Rating: -1
RE: Gee That Didn't Take Long
By Aikouka on 11/20/2006 9:15:13 AM , Rating: 5
Honestly, you get used to the Gates bashing after awhile. I was in Target last night in the gaming isle and I heard two teens talking about Halo 3 for the XBOX 360. Some kid said, "Oh hey... isn't Halo 3 supposed to be out? I thought Bill Gates said it was" and the other kid responds, "Bill Gates is an idiot."

Such an idiotic ingrained response where Bill Gates is by far anything from an idiot. Innovators like Gates, Allen, Wozniak (Yes, I'd list Wozniak even though he's Apple... Woz is the man!) and such are by far "idiots", yet people are angry for idiotic reasons. Like "Boo hoo, my operating system crashed because I installed spyware on it, but it's Microsoft's fault!" Such lame reasoning that it makes Darwin roll in his grave.


RE: Gee That Didn't Take Long
By Hyperlite on 11/20/2006 9:44:04 AM , Rating: 1
QFT

I can't stand people who complain about M$ for things like these. Why do they get slapped with anti-trust suits? because the are good at what they do. If you want to complain and make a big deal about it, go use Ubuntu. They can't see the big picture.


RE: Gee That Didn't Take Long
By Aikouka on 11/20/2006 10:24:24 AM , Rating: 2
I think Microsoft gets hit with Anti-trust settlements because they're well-off ! Look at it this way, the EU fines Microsoft 500 million euros (essentially 500 million dollars). Where does this money go? Hey, extra revenue for the European Union!

Next item on the meeting agenda: How to file more suits against Microsoft to bring up our revenue streams.

A lot of the anti-trust suits are somewhat baseless. They're based on how ill-informed consumers are about other options... since when has ignorance been a valid excuse? In fact, I think if Microsoft did not include items like Windows Media Player, people would complain! Microsoft includes a lot of items with their OS to make it user-friendly out of the box. You have productivity items (albeit nothing like Word), multimedia items, connectivity items, messenging items and more. Even most user-friendly Linux distros include a ton of applications like that!

I'm just tired of it anymore... I'd like to just ignore how ignorant people are... but isn't ignoring the people who ignore an odd idea to think about? :P


RE: Gee That Didn't Take Long
By emboss on 11/20/2006 11:21:50 PM , Rating: 2
Actually, the reason they get slapped with antitrust suits is because they break antitrust regulations. Funny that ...


RE: Gee That Didn't Take Long
By psychobriggsy on 11/20/06, Rating: -1
RE: Gee That Didn't Take Long
By baseball43v3r on 11/20/2006 9:30:40 AM , Rating: 2
uhhh he's given more to charities then any other man alive... i believe there are some estimates that say more the 20 BILLION dollars. maybe do a little research before making an uneducated statement.


RE: Gee That Didn't Take Long
By togaman5000 on 11/20/2006 9:40:24 AM , Rating: 2
The Bill and Melinda Gates has given a heck of a lot to the world, so don't say crap about him giving his 'last dollar'. Everyone in the world has a last dollar, and some of the people in the world have extra money to spare - yet none of their money made the difference Gate's has. Call him an idiot, call his business distasteful, but Microsoft is just be Machiavellian. The point of a business is to profit, and Microsoft is having no trouble doing that.


I am a proud MS basher
By encryptkeeper on 11/20/06, Rating: -1
RE: I am a proud MS basher
By milomnderbnder21 on 11/20/2006 1:26:31 PM , Rating: 2
People don't automatically buy everything that they release, don't make it so simple. They have a dominant operating system that has EARNED it's place as such.

They pour billions of dollars into other initiatives, like the xbox, or the zune, to make a good product that will catch people's attention and earn their purchase. The Xbox doesn't succeed because it has 'Microsoft' on the box. They are a business that sees opportunities, and tries to take advantage of those opportunities by creating an excellent product. Sometimes they succeed, sometimes they don't. They are no different from any other company in this respect.

I'm more angry at the naivety of people such as yourself.


RE: I am a proud MS basher
By Montrevux on 11/20/2006 3:38:39 PM , Rating: 2
You hate the idea that Microsoft is allowed to release whatever products it chooses to release? So you basically hate capitalism?

And you're right. The employees at Microsoft don't have a clue what the consumers want, and their operating system is in no way a monopoly. Oh wait.

And finally, a company that actually strives to make a profit? What a horrible and sinful concept. Everyone who has ever worked at Microsoft must be a demon, because only demons could carry such evil ideas.

Can I hate you because you're a moron?


"Paying an extra $500 for a computer in this environment -- same piece of hardware -- paying $500 more to get a logo on it? I think that's a more challenging proposition for the average person than it used to be." -- Steve Ballmer

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