Apple/Microsoft....My Prediction

[Natobasso]

I think it will be come more or less irrelevant what type of op system you choose in the future as they will both run on either apples or pcs (see Intel chip in macs for proof of this). However, since apple makes a more user friendly, virus free (so far) system that actually is more and more enterpriseable, Microsoft will have less and less 'marketshare' in the coming years.

Apple realized with iTunes and then the ipod that these days it's less about machines and more about software; higher mark up and profit margin with cost savings to consumers!

Add the fact that Microsoft is under increasing scrutiny and penalization for its practices and we can see it will become a more and more irrelavent company as it falls behind in 'cool factor' and 'usability'. See Vista and the Zune player for proof of this.

[knight885]

Originally Posted by hawki18

Microsoft should tell the EU to get lost and pull there products out of Europe. Everybody goes after the big dog with dollar signs in there eyes. The US is no better first the Feds then the indiviaul states and 90% of it is because of Microsoft's deep pockets.

Leaving the xenophobic slant aside, Microsoft's practices are blatantly anti-competitive - the EU is just pointing it out, just as the US government did. Microsoft's business model seems to be wait until something useful or innovative appears (say, Java, iPod), make a poor-quality derivative copy of it (say, .NET, Zune *snigger*) and use their monopoly to force it into position. A piss-poor and anti-competitive, if financially successful, way of doing things.

The only way MS's "deep pockets" are an issue is that they can easily afford whatever fine is thrown at them.

[Qion]

I agree that Apple and Microsoft will never become one company. It would be the disgusting child of Windows and OS X against Linux; the government wouldn't stand for it. It's ridiculous to conclude that because of an economic shift we would experience anything such as the mergence of two completely different companies with completely different ideas.

[Quicksilver]

If any company was to aquire Apple. Of course IF! it was to be sold, that company would most probably be Google.

[bubbajim]

Will not feed a troll...nope..not gonna do it. (Sprays Troll-B-Gone on the thread)

[fryke]

Who do you mean? The thread starter? I just don't get where the idea's coming from, but in other threads he's not necessarily been a troll. (While in others, yes...)

[bubbajim]

Being an Apple employee, it's hard to fathom the idea of Microsoft buying out a company that just had a 1 Billion dollar profit for one quarter. The idea that the board members on Apple's side would allow such an outragious thing to happen is just asinine. To me this kind of opinion might as well be yet another Why Microsoft is better than Apple. I don't hate Microsoft, I just love Apple and for as profitable as they are right now, it would make absolutely no sense to entertain such ideas as the OP has made. It's not just absurd, but disturbing to think it. Plus the fact the government would no way allow Microsoft to absorb Apple...when that happens, I will gladly give up my citizenship of this country and move on.

Yes I still think the OP is a troll on this on.

[fryke]

As I said: I don't understand where the idea comes from, either. To _still_ answer the first post (I really wonder why he didn't follow up, though, a real troll would...): I think the reasons for such an absurd thing mentioned would *first* hit Microsoft before it'd hit Apple.