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Subject: 
Re: Microsoft and LEGO Company Announce a Shared Doom
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.robotics
Date: 
Sun, 14 Jan 2001 02:10:41 GMT
Viewed: 
3393 times
  
In lugnet.robotics, Dean Husby writes:
> Jeroen Stap wrote:
> > I believe the main reason why TLC has joined with MS is that TLC has stopped
> > growing for the first time in its history and is trying to find a way not to
> > go bankrupt in a fair amount of time! The major cause of TLC to have losses
> > is the ever more growing competition with computers and related toys.
> > The RCX was partly initiated to overcome this problem, but bacause of the
> > (relative) high prize this didn't work good enough. Besides it did not
> > affect the marketing target as it were mainly older buyers which were
> > already Lego-fans. The children still were playing their computergames.
> > One of the relatively new markets for TLC is their gaming-software, and
> > online activities. Seeking out a partner with lots of experiance in that
> > field of business seems a logical choice to me.
> 
> If they are seeking a partner to help them with LEGO Games then perhaps they
> SHOULD be seeing a company that has a proven GAME record. NOT a destroyer of
> the public good!

Hmm, yes, I agree!  BTW, did you know that there are 3 adult LEGO fans at
Electronic Arts?  Steve Jackson (yes, _the_ Steve Jackson) is also an adult
fan of LEGO.  :-)


> > My conclusion has two sides:
> > - I hope that MS does NOT get involved in the core-business of Lego:
> > creating models out of bricks, including R&D of RCX, Cybermaster, Scout,
> > etc
> 
> I would hope that M$ does not get involved at all. M$ is only enters
> anything for their own gains.

This is mostly what has me worried.  There's nothing wrong with wanting to
make money (IMHO), but M$ places making money above all else -- above quality,
above morality, above humanity, above everything.  0937, on the other hand,
has always been a moral company and has placed quality and moral standards
above making a quick buck selling junk.  (Note: I'm not trying to imply
that all M$ products are junk.)


> > - I hope that the sharing of knowledge makes it possible for TLC to grow in
> > both directions: bricks and software and thus keep this wonderful toy
> > available for all time!
> 
> I hope this too, which is why so many of us are growing upset over the news
> that the Destroyer of open standards and thinking is digging it's bloody
> claws into our favorite pastime and creative outlet.

I totally agree with that fear.  But what worries me _even more_ is wondering
whether M$ will corrupt 0937 or whether 0937 is already broken.  Do moral
companies hop in the sack with M$ like this?  I just hope and pray that there
will still be any morality left in 0937 two years down the road.

--Todd



Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Microsoft and LEGO Company Announce a Shared Doom
 
(...) If they are seeking a partner to help them with LEGO Games then perhaps they SHOULD be seeing a company that has a proven GAME record. NOT a destroyer of the public good! (...) I would hope that M$ does not get involved at all. M$ is only (...) (26 years ago, 14-Jan-01, to lugnet.robotics)

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