Apple in talks to buy Universal Music

[Timexwatch]

That's because you can't buy Apple hardware without the OS to begin with...

Since when can you buy a major manufacturer's PC without Windows?

[Asher]

Originally posted by Timexwatch
Since when can you buy a major manufacturer's PC without Windows?

The point is you don't have to buy from a major manufacturer. You always have the option of building it yourself, buying it from a local vendor, etc.

[Q Classic]

Timexwatch--

actually, these days dell is allowing system administratorrs the option of buying desktop optiplexes with linux preinstalled, or without any os preinstalled.

this is, however, only for large purchases, but it's a start.

[St Leo]

"The assent of conscience, the pleasant feeling of 'at peace with oneself,' is of the same order as the please of the artist in his work -- it proves nothing at all."
-Friedrich Nietzsche

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Um... that's pretty anti-competitive. Could you imagine IBM stomping out IBM clones? There would be no HP, Dell, Gateway, etc. That isn't anti-competitive?

That's the single biggest mistake Apple has ever made. It had a chance to expand market share, but they wasted it.

These stupid execs never realised that Apple is not a hardware company, it is a software company.

[Ari Rahikkala]

Originally posted by Asher
Hell, even Adobe recommends PCs over Macs now for using Adobe products...

Do they? I haven't been following the whole thing after "Adobe Says PCs Are Preferred", but if that's what you're referring to, the whole thing was a couple of speed tests and a URL with the word "pcpreferred" in it. And even that has disappeared by now. Find me an official statement from Adobe and I'll be convinced.

[Timexwatch]

Originally posted by Asher

The point is you don't have to buy from a major manufacturer. You always have the option of building it yourself, buying it from a local vendor, etc.

So that would be a "No"?

[monolith94]

Nietzsche is such a tool.

[Az]

I would pay, if I had a job.

10c is actually very reasonable (!), as long as there is a database of songs downloaded by me, that I wouldn't have to pay again to download it. HD crashes and such.

[Ari Rahikkala]

Timexwatch: Dunno about you, but I got my current computer naked. Granted, I did also choose most of the components and did even entertain the thought of building the computer myself... but I'd say that unless you're talking about laptops, a person who doesn't want to have Windows on his/her computer can get one without it.

[Buck Birdseed]

Originally posted by Ari Rahikkala
I got my current computer naked.

Eww. Too much information, man!

I don't want bloody pay-for files, cheap or otherwise, and I don't want the music industry to cut out the middle man. Save the Small, Independent Record Shops!

[monolith94]

That's only because you want to live like you were in High Fidelity. Cutting out the middle-man is in the artists' best interests. I say it's time for ALL record stores to go, save for vinyls for the hardest of the hardcore.

[monkspider]

I would pay as well, if any mainstream music were to ever interest me.

[monolith94]

Seriously, I would pay 10¢ to download music - for that price I'd pay like a dollar fifty for some albums that I've always wanted to have!

[Buck Birdseed]

No, no, no. Vinyl shops are for collectors and other lesser beings. A good, non-vinyl-oriented independent is a haven for browsing, for finding new stuff, for atmosphere and for a good day out. Among the only real old-fashioned stores left in these days of big chains and conformity.

Actually, to be honest, I'm not really worried. This is a bit like those people claiming e-books would kill off bookstores... an industry now flourishing more than ever. I think the same is happening to the independent record stores- it's lifestyle branding without the brand, helped rather than hindered by the fact that people are able to preview stuff over the net.

Also, in this country at least (Sweden) small record companies have regained the impetus thanks partially to the internet, and the only distribution channel flexible enough to both take in the stuff that the big stores will only get tomorrow and get them out quickly to the potential customers are Independents. There are certainly many more small record shops in Stockholm now than there were five years ago...