 Who Needs XP?
Very few users. How much of an operating system do you
need to run Quicken? How about your internet browser?
Maybe your word processor? They probably all operate just
fine with your current operating system. So who really
need Windows XP? The answer is Microsoft. This is one
upgrade Microsoft needs very badly. Why? DotNet is the
answer. Or .Net in Microsoft parlance. Is .Net a mystery
to you? That's just the way Microsoft wants it. If you
really knew how important Windows XP is to Microsoft, and
to .Net, then you could call the shots and not the other
way around.
Before I go any farther maybe you should read about
.Net and what it is and how important Windows XP is to
Microsoft plans. CNet recently did a series of articles on
Microsoft, .Net and Windows XP. Read The
Gatekeeper Day 1 and 2. It will give you a good
overview of .Net and Windows XP's role in making .Net a
success.
One quote from the article tells all: "...
Microsoft.Net is a mammoth effort that begins with Windows
XP and branches out to nearly all of Microsoft's products,
services, Web sites and development efforts. ..." (Cnet,
The Gatekeeper, Day 2)
"... begins with Windows XP..." I
think that said it all.
Part of the .Net effort is Microsoft's own .Net My
Services. Microsoft plans to offer various services
through .Net My Services "... including online
calendaring, contact-list management, document and image
storage, credit card information, and personal
identification data--all accessible from any conceivable
digital device, anywhere on the planet. ..." (Cnet,
The Gatekeeper, Day 2)
And this from the New York Times: "Windows XP and
MSN are delivery vehicles for technology that is crucial
to the company's .Net Web services. Windows XP is
engineered to work well with two of the essential software
technologies for Web services: XML, for Extensible Markup
Language, and SOAP, for Simple Object Access
Protocol." (New York Times, Microsoft's
New Operating System Is the First Part of Expanded
Internet Services, October 22, 2001)
How To Jump Start .Net My Services
Microsoft is trying to get into the service arena -
again. .Net My Services is their platform. Your
primary platform, but not the only platform, for using and
paying for these services is Windows XP. .Net My
Services will not be available until early next year
and Microsoft needs for millions of users to make the
change to Windows XP before the release of .Net My
Services so they can sign on business to this service. No
user base no business. It's that simple. Microsoft needs
you. You are the linchpin for the success of .Net My
Services.
What this means is that Microsoft wants you to spend
anywhere from $99 to $299 for the privilege of spending
additional money for .Net My Services.
Folks - there's Billions at risk here and Microsoft
wants those Billions.
Just Give It Away
So what happens if Windows XP is a failure in the
market place. Microsoft has only one option. Give it away.
Maybe not $0.00 but more like $25.00. That will cover
their costs and maybe a profit. It's free so no worries of
illegal copies. No Product Activation (for Windows XP
anyway.) Make all the copies you want. The more copies of
Windows XP the more customers for .Net My Services.
Eliminate the four versions of Windows XP for the desktop.
Give away just one version - Professional. You want
service - Microsoft will offer you a service contract. You
need a manual - buy one.
It's up to you. Hold out on your purchase of Windows XP
and force Microsoft to give it away. Remember you don't
need this OS. But Microsoft needs for you to have this OS.
So let them give it to us.
And What About The Feds?
Simple. Linux is free. Many versions of Unix are free.
So why not Windows XP?
Yes You Can
Microsoft's sales motto for Windows XP is Yes You
Can. I just love the irony of this. Yes you can force
Microsoft to give you Windows XP for free. Yes You Can!
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