Uh Oh. MS acquiring Connectix...

[terran74]

The probably won't kill it but the will:

a.) Use it as another leverage against apple to sell more copies of Office and this product to keep it alive. In otherwards, blame apple if the product doesn't rake in enough dough.
b.) Increase the price by USD $100
c.) Instead of the frequent updates and upgrades we've seen from connectix, only update 1 time per product with a "service pack" and upgrade the product every other year.
d.) Kill the upgrade version for DOS and only offer upgrades to newer OS releases.
e.) Tie VPC to a specific windows release and make it almost impossible to install other operating systems over it.

This is typical MS.

[Ricky]

What I think will happen:
Microsoft sells Virtual PC for a while longer, knowing people will still buy it. The program will be quietly discontinued. Then, after a while, Microsoft will write their OS's so they are not compatible with Virtual PC on purpose, for those that still use it.

EDIT: Yes, I saw Microsoft's reponse to these kinds of rumors, but...

[MikeXpop]

Originally posted by terran74
The probably won't kill it but the will:

a.) Use it as another leverage against apple to sell more copies of Office and this product to keep it alive. In otherwards, blame apple if the product doesn't rake in enough dough.
b.) Increase the price by USD $100
c.) Instead of the frequent updates and upgrades we've seen from connectix, only update 1 time per product with a "service pack" and upgrade the product every other year.
d.) Kill the upgrade version for DOS and only offer upgrades to newer OS releases.
e.) Tie VPC to a specific windows release and make it almost impossible to install other operating systems over it.

This is typical MS.

a.) Nah. Doesn't seem that likely.
b.) Of course
c.) Absolutely right. This is Microsoft. Say goodbye to innovations!
d.) XP Home and XP pro seem the most likely candidates. Which sucks, because most people prefer 2000 pro. It runs a lot faster.
e.) XP Home and Pro as I said above, but I think they won't mind if you decide to install another OS over it. In fact, I doubt they will come pre-installed. All Microsoft cares about is selling copies of Windows. They're doing that, so what's the problem?

[theed]

it doesn't matter if they kill it, it's already dead to me.

Unlike many of you who think microsoft is yucky and you talk about it idly, I boycott microsoft actively. This means that I can now get one less product. I simply refuse to let any dollar that has any other choice go to microsoft. They are evil. I will not fund evil.

If you are upset about the lack of justice in the justice department, you must speak as a consumer. Your dollar is not just your purchasing power, it's the power to enable others to do things. By buying microsoft VPC instead of Connectix VPC, you are now supporting microsoft, not an avid Mac developer. That makes all the difference in the world to me.

I hope this deal got connectix a lot of money, because it'll take another really great product before they see more money from me. I liked supporting them. I'm bummed, I was kinda looking forward to getting the new version of VPC eventually.

[Quicksilver]

Originally posted by Inline_guy
I have worries like everyone else. But what is interesting, is despite how small the Apple market share is, 30% of all Mircosoft software sales come from the Mac BU. Which is strange if you think about. I will try to find the Article I read it in.

So for Microsoft this is a very smart business move, and it would be smart for them to continue to sell it and make it stronger.

Fingers crossed it works out for the best.

Matthew

Your totaly right you know. how smart is that to totaly flush out the OS's by making softare that runs on all machines no matter what mabey Microsoft has big plans for this one.

Or mabey Microsoft wants to make a total Microsoft OS solution that runs on Apple hardware making it not change back to the Mac OS. In other words an attempt to Kill of OS X because Microsoft may feel threatened by it.

[threesixty]

I think your all missing the point. Microsoft are essentially a software company that make money selling Window's operating systems. They dont care whether your running XP on Intel, Apple or Sun box as long as your running XP. The Mac is just another piece of hardware that can run XP. Why wouldn't MS be happy? Thats where they make their money.

All it means is that in years to come, MS will be able to say on the XP box that it works on Intel, AMD and Mac based computers. Thats amazing, complete coverage of all computers without the dirty work of developing the emulation software.

And think of this. They could also stop developing software specifically for the Mac and still offer Mac users the ability to use their software through emulation (just as Apple do with Classic). They would still retain their 30% of Mac software sales and make more money by forcing Mac users to buy XP just to run Office etc..

I think MS have responded to Apples aggressiveness lately
by buying the jewel in the crown of Mac software. Basically MS is saying to Apple, you can do what the hell you want. You can make competitors to our products etc.. whatever. But we can get half your users to run XP, that will save us tons of research money and weaken Apples postion even further.


Whatch and learn how the big boys from Redmond hustle ....

[hulkaros]

Originally posted by threesixty
I think your all missing the point. Microsoft are essentially a software company that make money selling Window's operating systems. They dont care whether your running XP on Intel, Apple or Sun box as long as your running XP. The Mac is just another piece of hardware that can run XP. Why wouldn't MS be happy? Thats where they make their money.

All it means is that in years to come, MS will be able to say on the XP box that it works on Intel, AMD and Mac based computers. Thats amazing, complete coverage of all computers without the dirty work of developing the emulation software.

And think of this. They could also stop developing software specifically for the Mac and still offer Mac users the ability to use their software through emulation (just as Apple do with Classic). They would still retain their 30% of Mac software sales and make more money by forcing Mac users to buy XP just to run Office etc..

I think MS have responded to Apples aggressiveness lately
by buying the jewel in the crown of Mac software. Basically MS is saying to Apple, you can do what the hell you want. You can make competitors to our products etc.. whatever. But we can get half your users to run XP, that will save us tons of research money and weaken Apples postion even further.


Whatch and learn how the big boys from Redmond hustle ....

...way that the Dark Side hustles

Seriously though, this is NOT good for our favourite platform: The Apple Mac...

I think this is more serious than we really think it is people and also I think that the worst things are yet to come: The Dark Side clouds everything

Until the Chosen One will come and kick the Dark Side's behind have faith in Apple's fearless Jedi order

At least in the movies the Dark Side loses

[MDLarson]

Originally posted by bjurusik
Well, in all honestly, no one can really be mad if Microsoft does drop Virtual PC for Mac ... seeing that Apple bought Emagic and Shake and ceased new releases of both products for Windows.

Although it is pleasant for Mac users to gloat that there is no Windows version of a said program, this is the wrong approach in my opinion. To force Windows Emagic / Shake users to completely replace their hardware for continued support is unfair.