Bend over

Microsoft is at it again. In the same way they have destroyed and trampled on competitors in years past in the software sector they are now sticking it to the 3rd party hardware vendors in the gaming sector. Until now 3rd party peripheral developers for gaming consoles only had to pay royalties to Microsoft if they wanted to display the XBox logo. Now the geniuses behind XBox 360 are requiring 'all' 3rd party vendors to pony up if they want to make peripherals for Microsoft's new Trojan horse into your living room. The risk is nobody can afford to make peripherals any longer and Microsoft suffers from a lack of hardware offerings.
Traditionally game console makers take a loss on their hardware but make it up by charging royalties to the game software makers. Microsoft just can't see straight if you are taking a loss on 'purpose'. Sure, if you're trying to make money and you lose billions that's ok, (ie; MSN, MS Bob, PhotoDraw etc. etc. etc.) but if you are planning on losing money on something out of the chute they just can't swallow it. So, they are trying to change the rules that have been played by for decades. Maybe they can do it and it's time for that to change. Or, maybe their idiots and they will piss people off and fail miserably. You know where my money is.