Summary: Microsoft shows its true weakness as new vulnerabilities in its business model and lack of technical merit become public knowledge

IN reality, Xbox was a financial disaster, exceeding in terms of losses even Microsoft's failed attempt to steal Google's thunder (that cost Microsoft over $5,000,000,000 in losses).

Microsoft may be trying to change this doomsday scenario by cutting costs and cutting products. "I guess [it is] another way to attempt to push up sales," said Oiaohm a few moments ago, pointing to this new item from Slashdot:

Xbox Live For Original Xbox Games Shutting Down

itwbennett writes "Giving no explanation beyond that it 'will provide the greatest benefit to the Xbox LIVE community,' Microsoft's General Manager for Xbox Live, Mark Whitten, announced that as of April 15th, Microsoft will be shutting down its Xbox Live service for the original Xbox and its games. 'Cold comfort for those of you who still enjoy playing Xbox titles like Halo 2 with your friends,' writes blogger Peter Smith. But Smith notes that Whitten's announcement does hint at some form of restitution for those affected, encouraging users to check their LIVE messages for more details and opportunities."

This was covered last night by our reader Goblin, who wrote:

Now it appears that as of April 15th 2010, fans of old Xbox titles such as Halo 2 will no longer be able to play them on Xbox live market place. Microsoft (as usual) reports this news as if its a good thing (and unless I am mistaken Halo 2 is still loved by many)

"R.I.P., Halo 2 on Xbox Live," says the Microsoft-sponsored TechFlash.

Microsoft early this morning delivered some bad news to holdouts continuing to use its Xbox Live online gaming service to play games originally created for its first Xbox. As of April 15, the company is discontinuing Xbox Live for the original Xbox, according to the post by Xbox Live GM Marc Whitten (via VentureBeat).

So here we have another dead product, joining the ranks of many others.

Our reader Goblin also wrote about the latest serious problems with Vista 7, the "battery killer" [1, 2], noting that it is starting to look more and more like Vista:

So why does it appear that Microsoft is “investigating” now? Remember Vista and “early good reports”? It doesn’t come a surprise to me that people were complaining before now and you can see some of the plea’s for help here.

So remind me again (and in particular if you are a Netbook Windows 7 user) once Aero is switched off and you’ve managed to finally get that pesky XP package working….whats the advantage here of wanting 7 on a netbook over XP when there are reports of bad battery life? People often ask if 7 is the version to finally replace XP….I’ll let you be the judge of that.

Almost no businesses are moving to Vista 7, just as predicted last year [1, 2]. Microsoft has been faking numbers [1, 2, 3, 4] to give the impression that Vista 7 is selling well. ⬆