Microsoft Kicks Playstation2 out of CeBit. 663
dnaumov writes "According to this article on ZDNET, Microsoft complained to the show organizers, Hannover Messe AG, that Sony was breaching show rules by letting people play on Sony PlayStation 2 game consoles. While Sony has been letting people play their consoles at CeBIT for the past 3 years, that didn't really bother anyone. However, MS seemed to not like the fact and filled a complaint. What makes this even more funny is that Microsoft officials denied that the company had complained to the Messe. but the show organizers confirmed that Richard Roy, vice president, corporate strategy, had complained. This effectively forced PS2 out of the show and Sony started packing their bags on Sunday. Microsoft was also displaying their XBOX console at the show."
Umm.... (Score:2, Informative)
KMFMS.
JoeLinux
Re:Umm.... (Score:2)
Hey, Sony, thanks for Everquest.
Re:Umm.... (Score:2)
BUT and this is a big BUT... They had partners showing off the X-BOX with software from the partners. So technically MS was not breaking the rules, but because the partners were selling add-ons they were not breaking the rules either.
Sony did not have this luck.
I saw it on NTV and people were annoyed.
You know the stupidity of MS never ceases to amaze me. MS has everyone breathing down their neck. And what do they do? They yell and scream when someone else is breaking the rules.
A good punishment of MS would not be to break the company or anything related to licensing software. Get the top brass to retire immediately and sell their stocks for a fair price. As Lou Gerstner says, after ten years running a company change needs to occur otherwise you become stale and uncreative...
What I want to know... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:What I want to know... (Score:5, Interesting)
If that's the case, MS COULD have been in the right. "Well, if people are busy playing games, they're not paying attention to the exhibitors" -- that could be why that rule would be there in the first place.
Talk about bad sportsmanship though. Even if MS had good intentions (ha!) there's no way anybody's going to say 'Go MS!'
BTW, just because I'm playing Devil's Advocate here doesn't mean you have the right to come in, misinterpret me, and then tell me I'm an idiot. I've had enough of that over the last week. I don't support what MS did so don't twist what I said into saying I do.
Re:What I want to know... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:What I want to know... (Score:2)
Heh I think this is proof that I do understand it...
Re:What I want to know... (Score:3, Insightful)
Well, what do you expect? (Score:2)
Frankly, CeBit organizers should have told Richard Roy his company had been found in violation of U.S. antitrust law (a scared shadow of the EU version) and asked to leave with all his exhibitors - wouldn't want a legitimate trade show to lose its reputation because a piratical company happens to be there.
There's a simple solution to bullshit like this - flip Microsoft the bird and spend your and your company's money elsewhere.
And? (Score:5, Insightful)
I doubt that. Highly.
Re:And? (Score:5, Insightful)
They could have chosen to simply abide by the rules for the rest of the show. However, packing up and leaving made a more effective statement. At first, it sounds like they're just a bad sport, but consider this fact. They are widely visible going through the process of packing up their equipment and hauling it away. The article even made mention of that fact. A good percentage of the show attendees will see this happening and ask why. And everyone will tell them "Microsoft made them leave". It won't necessarily be 100% accurate, but thats the rumor that's going to go around for the rest of the show. And for the remainder of that show, the mention of Microsoft will leave a bad taste in the mouths of a lot of people. And a lot of people will leave and go on with their professional lives. They may not think any higher of sony. But they will think less of Microsoft. And Microsoft has fingers in the proverbial commercial pie far beyond the world of console gaming systems.
-Restil
Re:And? (Score:2)
Sony stays and demos their new games.
Sony leaves and demoes NO games, while people watch Microsoft demo cool new XBox games.
Re:And? (Score:2)
--
Evan
Re:And? (Score:2)
--
Evan
Re:And? (Score:2)
Still, it's amusing, yes.
--
Evan
Re:And? (Score:2)
Re:And? (Score:5, Informative)
Sony packed up and left.
They didn't. ZDNET doesn't say that either, if you read closely. They removed the PS2s, but the rest of their much bigger exhibition is still there. A much more detailed report about what happened is delivered by Heise. Use the fish if you have trouble reading this article [heise.de].
Re:And? (Score:2)
Just like antitrust law which no one bue Sun and AOL and Oracle and Digital and Be complained about Microsoft breaking? Oh they are competitors so we should just ignore the stupid law because no one but competitors complain.
Re:And? (Score:2)
A rule is a rule. You either change the rule or decide not to play the game - you can't decide to play the game by your own rules.
Re:And? (Score:2)
>>>>
No, there are real rules and fake rules. Real rules are there for important things (don't kill people). Fake rules are there either just to cover somebody's ass (basically, any rule in the public school system) or to protect people from themselves. The first one is bad to break. The second one is stupid not to break, because everyone else is too. If a rule isn't enforced unless somebody actively complains, then it probably wasn't important anyway.
This is only going to help Sony (Score:2)
Sony's going to get the sympathy vote out of this. And portrayed as a victim in the press.
Dumb move Microsoft.
Re:And? (Score:2)
Re:And? (Score:3, Funny)
Kintanon
Re:And? (Score:2)
Sadly, ppl already hate MS enough that they'll use this as another attempt to bash MS and yadda yadda yadda. One guy posted "who'd by a game system from these people?" Well my response to that is "somebody who wants to play games."
Re:And? (Score:2)
Sony didn't leave. They just packed up their PS2 display - you *are* aware that Sony makes some other gadgets than the PS2... you know... handhelds, sterios, MP3 players, laptops, camcorders... pretty much everything in the electronic universe.
--
Evan
Re:And? (Score:2)
My point still stands.
Re:And? (Score:2, Interesting)
Anyone know a logical reason for a rule like that?
Re:And? (Score:3, Informative)
--
Evan
Re:And? (Score:2)
Sometimes we do tradeshows, and they all have stupid rules ("You can give away this, not that..."). We try to follow the rules, and it's frustrating for our PR people when the booth next to us doesn't (and steals traffic by handing out candy when we only get to hand out pens...)
But the organizers never do anything, because they don't want some immature PR people to pack off their whole show just because they were giving out dweedles instead of doobles. Or because they weren't following the conference theme colors. Or weren't wearing enough clothing.
MS does awful things, but in this case, I'm proud of them for at least standing up. Maybe one day conference organizers will only make rules that they intend people to follow, will distribute those rules, and make sure people do follow them when conference rolls around.
.
Re:And? (Score:2)
B) You can be damn sure that Microsoft complained because Sony/PS2 is a direct competitor. It's not like they felt like being good little participants, and complain about all rule violations. I bet if you go back a few years, you'll find other "playable" shits that were at Cebit that *weren't* in Microsoft's disfavor that they did no complaining about. MS, it seems, has learned the lobbying trade very very well, politically and otherwise.
C) What kind of fucking show is this that you can't test out the equipment? Why don't they just handcuff you at the entrance?
Re:And? (Score:2)
Were the situation reversed, I'm sure MS would have Sony, the CeBIT organisers and probably the DOJ, and the Attournies General of 34 states, hauled up in front of an appeals court by now (complete with an injunction to prevent CeBIT from closing the show until the case was resolved to their satisfaction...
what compromises were tried? (Score:3)
Re:what compromises were tried? (Score:2)
Re:what compromises were tried? (Score:2)
Now clearly at some point Sony figured it was worth the trouble to let people play with their toys, and that's fine, but it also puts all the other game companies at a disadvantage. Which booth are you going to go to: the one with Halo on demo loop, or the one where you can play GTA3? Microsoft maybe didn't have the facilities or manpower to let people play hands on, so they complained to make sure their booth wasn't a graveyard.
Now, maybe next year Cebit decides to change it's rules and allow hands-on play, which would be fine, as all companies can come prepared. But as for this year, I think asking Sony to stop the hands-on was the right call.
Well of course! (Score:4, Funny)
My God! Doesn't anyone think of the children?
Anticompetitive? (Score:3, Funny)
A great comment (Score:2, Interesting)
The sand-kicking six year olds at it again. And, don't give me any of that "rules are rules" crap, cuz that don't fly when you are talking about the convicted monopolist turned snitch. I can just see the tattle-tail doing trying to imitate the fake teary eyed look of Ballmer during his latest deposition. What do they teach first at the Redmond campus, foot-stomping or lying???
Sure, we do participate in a lot of Microsoft bashing here at Slashdot -- I'll admit that. But for Christ's sake, they deserve it.
Linux -- Because You're Too Good For Those Other Crappy Kernels. [monolinux.com]
Re:A great comment (Score:2)
But in this case since it is big bad Microsoft making the complaint, then it's earth shattering news?
Hypocrates...
Childish. (Score:2, Offtopic)
--saint
You can look but you can't touch (Score:3, Insightful)
Pardon my ignorance, but can anyone explain the purpose of CeBIT if you can't actually play with the hardware? Particularly if the vendor is happy for you to take it for a test-drive... otherwise you may as well consider it as vapourware.
Re:You can look but you can't touch (Score:4, Informative)
Sony probably couldn't come to a compromise since their booth was designed to allow people to take their own test drives. This means they probably didn't have the staff on hand to run continuous demos and most likely didn't have the booth space for demos to work. Most likely all of their "compromises" involved user test drives. Microsoft did nothing wrong by complaining. Underhanded as it is, since I bet their booths were sufficently far apart.
Denying they complained is, however, typical Microsoft.
Re:You can look but you can't touch (Score:2)
Enter MS world - cry, whine, and kick...
Trying to Keep Track (Score:2, Interesting)
People were playing the XBOX! (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:People were playing the XBOX! (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:People were playing the XBOX! (Score:3, Insightful)
Can we please get over the prejudice that games and gaming hardware are not an actual product? If that's so, then what are we to attribute the rise of the PC to? Microsoft word? Is your laptop therefore not an actual product?
(BTW, if you read a previous post WRT Western Digital, both WD and Nvida had PLAYABLE X-boxes at their booths. This wasn't because the rule is inflexible, it is because someone complained.)
Re:People were playing the XBOX! (Score:3, Insightful)
If one exhibitor has a product which is more popular then is it "fair" to the other exhibitors?
CeBit doesn't strike me as the type of place to sell games, but rather to get the market informed on new products coming out.
When did Sony's console and games cease to be a "product"
When you're fiddling with a Laptop, you're exploring what you can do with it so you can write a review of it later. It's not quite the same as killing time playing a game.
Without being a telepath how can you tell that person A "fiddling with a laptop" and person B "playing a game" don't have exctly the same motivation? Maybe the person with the laptop is "killing time".
Re:People were playing the XBOX! (Score:2)
You could make Laptops more engrossing, but you don't want to do that. In the case of a laptop, you want people to come in, learn about it, and go so more people can come in. Games are harder to do that with unless you have an employee demoing the highlights of the game.
Re:People were playing the XBOX! (Score:4, Informative)
Funny isn't it... (Score:2, Insightful)
Here is the entire first paragraph (note the last sentence):"Microsoft complained to the show organizers, Hannover Messe AG, that Sony was breaching show rules by letting people play on Sony PlayStation 2 game consoles. Technically, this was right and the Messe was forced to act on the complaint"
What is news here? There were rules, and Sony broke them. It's as simple as that. Microsoft had every right to complain to the organizers, as did every other vendor. The fact that nobody complained in the previous years has no bearing at all. If I commit a crime, and nobody knows and therefore nobody complains, is it ok to commit a second crime? Nobody complained about my prevoius crime, so it must be ok, right?
If you ask me, I say this entire post should be considered a troll and be removed from
The only reason it's here is that it's a story about Microsoft doing something to protect themselves.
I bet there's more to this story.. (Score:5, Insightful)
Why would MS complain about Sony unless they did something to provoke it? MS has employees demonstrating XBOX's, right? What if that was because MS read the rules and decided to bring a bunch of employees down to man the stations, only to find Sony stations unmanned so the public could play. I'd be mad about that. That means MS had to pay more people to come down.
What if Sony tried to complain about MS's booth being too loud, so MS fired a tit-for-tat shot back?
What if people were hovering around the Sony stations simply to play games, and they didn't want to go anywhere else because they couldn't play games? That means that Sony has an unfair advantage to attracting people.
We don't know enough about this story to pass judgement, so please reserve your karma whoring 'I hate MS!' posts for the time when actual facts arrive.
Re:I bet there's more to this story.. (Score:2)
What planet are you living on??? Microsoft chose to compete against Sony. That's why MS complained.
Suppose MS had seen that the no-play rule wasn't enforced, and chose instead to allow their visitors to play the Xbox at the same show with the PS2 consoles... oh wait, maybe that wasn't such a good idea after all...
Do you "Get it" now??
Re:I bet there's more to this story.. (Score:2)
Well, if you oversimplify as situation, it does sonud like it'd happen that way, doesn't it? The thing is, if MS draws attention to a rule like that, it means that they cannot break it themselves. That would not work in their favor, if anything it'd draw attention to them. I bet there was a more significant reason that ZDNet hasn't reported.
In any case, I'm not going to let personal feelings about MS get in the way of my understanding what really happened. Do you 'Get it' now?
And here it is... (Score:5, Interesting)
Microsoft's Xbox launched across Europe last week where it will compete with the hugely popular PlayStation 2 console from Sony.
The spokeswoman added: "Both companies were showing their machines but Microsoft followed the rules and did not have any games to play on it, while Sony did. CeBIT is not for playing games."
She said CeBIT asked Sony to switch the games off but instead the company removed all of its consoles from the fair.
But boy, it sure is fun to bash M$...
Settlement: give free PS2's to everyone (Score:2)
-Miko
/. FUD WARNING! (Score:2)
CeBit has the rule for a reason which should be enforced regardless of who reported it. If it's a pointless rule then CeBit's customers need to gather and voice their concern - not something to be done in the middle of the tradeshow.
Wait for Sony to strike back... (Score:2)
BTW, just came back from Japan last week. The XBox is doing very poorly over there. People are complaining about compat and quality issues over the system itself (DVD filing and over heating, noise, etc...) and the quality of the games in general. The video game press in Japan doesn't say good things neither about XBox. All you hear about is Sony new network and Game Cube awesome new titles.
Poor M$
PPA, the girl next door.
Re:Wait for Sony to strike back... (Score:2)
But yes, I would have to agree, hopefully, they'll do just as bad as other tried against Japanese video game companies (3D0 is one good example.) Nothing against MS, it's just that I prefer Japanese style video games. So if MS was gonna kill Nintendo and bite Sony, I would feel terrible.
PPA, the girl next door.
Read article closely! (Score:5, Insightful)
This effectively forced PS2 out of the show and Sony started packing their bags on Sunday.
From Article:
On Sunday morning Sony started packing up its 27 PS2s.
I don't know what anyone else reads from this article, but I read Sony packed up the consoles they were letting people play, nothing about leaving the show. Maybe Sony did leave the show, but I doupt that, and the article does not say specifically. I really can't see Cebit making Sony mad by completly kicking them out, they just told them to stop breaking the rules.
Sony did NOT leave! (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Sony did NOT leave! (Score:2)
Use the fish translation [altavista.com] if you don't understand German.
What do I use to translate the fish translation? Is there a pidgeon english-to-english translator out there?
Correct babelfish link (Score:2, Informative)
Who cares? They still tried to make MS look bad. (Score:3, Interesting)
Complain about MS's business practices all you want, Sony certainly could have stood a little taller in this case.
Id really like to know what brought this to MS's attention. It's puzzling that MS would have one of it's own doors closed (i.e. letting people play XBOX's...) in order to stop Sony. I haven't ruled out that MS was just being a bastard, but you got to wonder what precipitated the complaint.
Civil Disobedience (Score:2, Funny)
-J
Ever been to CeBit? (Score:5, Informative)
Unlike Comdex, CeBit starts out as a serious and sober event. It is well organized. It is very productive. It is run by Germans. It does not have buxom booth bunnies. (OK, not Los Vegas-style booth bunnies and those that are there are few and far between and you can't get your picture with them.)
The only giddy joy and adventure at CeBit beyond the cool tech is the day the local kids come in to get and trade pins, and at night in the on-site beer hall, getting drunk, then challenging some Japaneese company to tug of war and hooting ape calls. Who needs language?
While Microsoft was fully justified in complaining if the sound was loud at the Sony booth, it sure sounds like they are taking on the role of smarmy tattle tale. That in itself is not in the spirit of CeBit.
We need more information (plus:a Linux connection) (Score:4, Interesting)
But did they "pick up their toys and go home"? If so, how many of their toys?
They packed up their consoles. I imagine they were forced to (see below). I also imagine they left their other products. "Sony Ericsson['s] stand
Note also that Microsoft didn't just snitch; they had some kind of approval/veto power. Microsoft may have had the power to force all the Playstations out of the show.
I look forward to further coverage.
(I found a German article; the Google translation included, "CeBIT nomenclature over contents of the fair in principle neither entertainment electronics nor plays may be pointed. Microsoft presents its play console "Xbox" behind glass." Try searching for "Udo Freialdenhofen," some Sony media relations person.)
And why might Microsoft be extra offended? Maybe because of this (cached link): "Those of you in Germany can see the [Playstation 2] linux kit in action at CEBIT in Hanover this week, from 13-20th March. We're on the Sony stand in hall 2, C02." [google.com] They didn't just toss a competing game console; they got a bunch of Linux machines thrown out of the show!
It's part of the rules (Score:2)
Compromise? (Score:5, Funny)
MS: You're cheat-in'! I'm telling!! I'm telling!
Sony: Tell you what. We'll Rochambeau you for it.
MS: What's Rochambeau?
Re:Compromise? (Score:3, Funny)
Microsoft: You will now adhere to *our* rules or we will buy your company or simply copy your product and "integrate" it into our next version of windows.
Sony: But we're here to talk about a compromise!
Microsoft: You will now adhere to our rules or we will buy your company...
Sony: But, but, but...
Microsoft: (writing check) Now see what you made me go and do? I'm very disappointed in you...
Rochambeau ? (Score:2)
Nah, they probably would have offered to settle with the ancient Japanese contest Jan-Ken-Pon...
Cheers,
Jim
I remain confused (Score:3, Insightful)
1- Does anyone have the exact wording of the rule which Sony are supposed to have broken (preferably in English)?
2- Does anyone have any information (i.e. not speculation) as to the purpose of the rule?
3- I would have thought that a large group of people playing PS/2s would have been an easy thing to spot. Why did the CeBIT organisers not notice it for themselves? If they did notice and did nothing then that demonstrates to me that its not a rule that they actualy care about.
4- Are rules like this common? I've been to lots of trade exhibitions in my time (admitedly most were not computer ones) and salesmen are normally keen to let potential customers try out the products (possibly under supervision).
Possible reason why it wasn't enforced (Score:2, Insightful)
Kids: Many of the visitors at CeBit are parents with kids, and kids need some amusement. If these parents want to have a little time for themselves (and they do, believe me, just because you are a dad or mom, that doesn't completely kill the nerd in you) what better than let them play on a gameconsole or some such gadget.
Even if it's not a console, kids need a little interaction, forcing them to a "watch only, no touching" policy frustrates the heck out of them, and as a consequence, their parents.
So, the non-reinforcement of this rule might just have been a little expression of social skills, like what you have in many big companies. You don't always enforce a rule, except if you want to come off like a total jackass and be treated like one by your colleagues.
Linux on the Playstation was the demo. (Score:2)
MS isn't the only shady character... (Score:3, Interesting)
For example, at this same show (CeBit), they were running a large screen demo of one of their Clie handhelds, showing how it could play fullscreen video, etc. They even had a little camera set up and pointed at a real Clie, giving the indication that what was on the big screen was being taken directly from the screen on the handheld.
Turns out, the big screen image didn't have anything to do with a real Clie screen. [pocketpcthoughts.com] It was all faked.
Jenova_Six
Microsoft wasn't the only one to complain (Score:3, Informative)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/entertainment/
David
Sony was not much better at E3 (Score:5, Interesting)
A few years back, while bleem! was still a company making a Playstation(tm) emulator, Sony attempted to get bleem! thrown out of the E3 exhibition (held in California). This was contrary to a court order that bleem! acquired stating that they were allowed to present.
Unfortunately, my old, senile, brain can not remember the details of this incident (and I would prefer not to have large companies coming after me), but perhaps one of the younger people still in the emulation scene can recall the details.
Absurd, it doesn't hold... (Score:5, Insightful)
The argument that someone else raised, that such a rule could exist because "people might be hanging around Sony's booth only to play games, and not go look at the other exhibitors", simply doesn't hold - for the following reasons.
CeBIT is the largest such exhibition in the world, there are more than 8000 exhibitors, and more than 150.000 visitors each day. You don't just "browse" the exhibition, you plan your visits from home.
The ticket is around $120 - you don't waste a day there just for playing a $40 game.
Sony let people play with their software, and so what ? They let me play with Linux on their PS/2 as well. And being an exhibitor there, I've let people play with our software in our booth as well. Just like Sun let me play with their software, IBM with theirs, etc. etc. etc.
Prophesy II - Why the XBox is doomed ! (Score:4, Insightful)
Consider the historical fact that anyone who has been stupid enough to 'partner' with Microsoft on some project, ends up being eaten as either part of the main course, or as a dessert dish.
I knew that Sega was doomed when they signed up to run CE on the dreamcast - MS just used them up for development ideas, and then surpise - MS comes out with it's own console.
What 3rd party software developer would be stupid enough to think that by developing titles for the XBox things will be any different.
The current batch of XBox developers are just being used as cheap cannon fodder by General Gates to find out where the minefields are, and to probe the enemy line for weaknesses.
Many XBox developers are going to go under as part of the course, and MS will not bat an eyelid. Those early casualties will be the lucky ones.
Woe unto them who succeed in this market ! For the day will surely cometh where Microsoft decides that there is money to be made in this market.
You will know when this will be happening for the signs shall surely be there .. those that have wisdom will know the signs.
These things shall surely come to pass.
If it is any consolation, Developers who write good code for PS2 / GCN deserve and receive respect. Particularly PS2 developers who have come to terms with parallized code and VU1 asm.
Anyone get the feeling that MS is trying to attract a bunch of $10 per hour VB/Access 'gurus' to the XBox ? Their job (in the above scenario) must surely be to locate the enemy machine gun positions by drawing their fire, and to provide human scaling ramps for the first layers of wire.
Sig:
Whatever happened to pardonable offences? (Score:3, Interesting)
Sony broke the rules. Sony let gamers play the games on the systems they sell during a trade show. Sony gets kicked out of the game. Microsoft broke the rules. Microsoft was found guilty of illegal bundling, hiding api's, and setting monopolistic terms to computer vendors in 94, 99, and 2001. Microsoft gets kicked out of the game.
Sounds fair.
Yes, Sony is a huge corporation that has attempted to leverage its presence (though not dominance) in consumer electronics to sell standards like the memory stick and DVD's. Yes, Sony is known to try and muscle competitors. However, something is inherintly wrong when a competitor can have you kicked out of a trade show because you let people have fun with your toys. I would think the director of the convention would have the power to make an exception on the grounds that the rule is unnecessary in this situation, and give Sony the year to plan a show without user interaction. Furthermore, it is in the show organizer's best financial interest if the customers participating in the show have a good time, and the only thing at a convention more enjoyable than free gaming is free gaming schwag.
The only group who benefits from this action is Microsoft (who, of course, lied about it afterwards to introduce doubt). The only reason Microsoft would act in this way is if they didn't want to compete. Is this sounding familiar?
Up until this point the X-box was starting to sound tempting so long as they could correct durability issues. With this action, Microsoft has reaffirmed once again why it is our moral imperitive to not give money to assholes... they just become more powerful assholes across more markets.
You have to admit... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Microsoft (Score:2)
And what does the slashdot crew (not) using Windows have to do with this?
How is this slashdot article not friendly to all geeks? Don't most geeks *hate* MS? Well, most Real Geeks (TM) anyway
Besides, Slashdot does not have money problems. They would have if they had not given the advertisers what they wanted (i.e. bigger ads) - so they had not much choice basically.
And last but not least, I can tell from your post you're probably from the USA - so much for journalistic integrity: if you can trade it for a few bucks, do so anytime!
I'm very glad the Slashdot crew does not show any signs of using such practices. Keep the MS stories coming!
Re:More Repeated Abuse (Score:2)
Getting back on topic, this little episode has no bearing on my playing games on an XBOX or on Sony. Neither MS nor Sony make games for their systems that I want to buy. They simply provide the systems. Now if a game company threw a temper tantrum and left because they were caught breaking the rules, then I'd be cautious about buying games from them.
Re:yes, any means! like following the rules! (Score:2)
Re:yes, any means! like following the rules! (Score:2)
>games at the show, or just asked that they
>stopped. Instead they had them removed.
MS didn't have Sony removed. Sony CHOSE to leave.
MS complained to the show's organizers that Sony was in violation of a standing rule. Sony was given the opportunity to stop violating that rule, and instead chose to take their football and go home.
Nobody's going to say MS is a white knight here, but all they're guilty of in this situation is reporting a rule violation.
Sony's actions were childish.
-l
Re:yes, any means! like following the rules! (Score:2)
" Sony approached Microsoft to find a compromise and entered into protracted discussions with the Messe for a deal acceptable for all parties, but none could be found. On Sunday morning Sony started packing up its 27 PS2s. The show, in Hannover, Germany, officially finishes on Wednesday. "
If you have other information please share.. as should the others here that are saying that they CHOOSE to leave.
Also as far as this being 'fare' and all. Noone else cared for 3 years. It is not until M$ is showing its XBOX that someone complained. Yes Sony was wrong, but noone likes a snitch either.
I am sure that M$ lawyers searched ALL the rules to see if they could find a way to get Sony thrown out of there. That is how M$ works. They did not get where they are now by EVER playing nice.
Re:yes, any means! like following the rules! (Score:2)
Re:what comes around... (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Why did Microsoft raise an objection? (Score:2)
I'm guessing the following options were available:
1) Only allow Sony employees to play the consoles (similar to the way it was being done in the Microsoft booth)
2) Make the consoles display only
3) Remove the consoles from the booth
4) Ask Sony to leave
Three guesses on which solution was the only one Microsoft was willing to accept...
Re:Why did Microsoft raise an objection? (Score:2)
"Other parties" wouldn't agree to the compromise, and we can all guess who that "parties" was.
Nasty little company. I've heard others opine that MS's position in the game machine arena is not that of a monopolist; this behavior is indicative of how they "compete" in an open marketplace, in this case a literal one.
Now, I've been watching MS since '81, and I'm well versed in their utter lack of business ethics. Others younger than I have more tolerance of their behavior, lacking my perspective.
I'd like those yunguns to watch MS carefully over the next few years, and see how Bill & Company operate when they want to take over a market segment. It will be educational to people who think monopolists are really cool.
Re:Why did Microsoft raise an objection? (Score:2)
Which is followed up (in the article) by the note that MS was using its employees to do live demos of the X-Box. Probably they did some sort of "But we're on a podium, whereas Sony is on the floor". I've seen pictures of Sony's PS2 display - it's a row of them right along the side of the Sony pavilion. It may very well have been that Sony couldn't reconfigure the entire pavilion to the "Other party's" satisfaction.
And again, Sony didn't leave (at least not according to the article) - they just were forced to remove the PS2s.
--
Evan
It wasn't only Microsoft (Score:2, Informative)
That statement (or anything like it) is nowhere in the linked article.
Also Microsoft was not the only company to complain.
From http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/entertainment/ne
"A spokeswoman for CeBIT told BBC News Online: "We received complaints from many, many exhibitors about Sony, including from Microsoft."
[snip]
The spokeswoman added: "Both companies were showing their machines but Microsoft followed the rules and did not have any games to play on it, while Sony did. CeBIT is not for playing games."
She said CeBIT asked Sony to switch the games off but instead the company removed all of its consoles from the fair.
"It could be they were angry," she added.
Re:Why did Microsoft raise an objection? (Score:2)
And yes, it was a MS executive who asked that the rule be enforced.
Microsoft doesn't break the rules, ever, eh? It just breaks laws.
Petty monopolists.
Re:Hey (Score:2)
Re:Boy are they in the shit now. (Score:2)
It's in your right to turn me into the police if I rob your place, but no one will sue you if you get me, kick the shit out of me and throw me through the stairs and not turning me to the police - you don't always use your right..
What MS should have done is think before they go scream that sony violate CeBit laws - they could have arranged place to let people play XBox games (I hardly belive MS doesn't have the money to hire few more meters) instead of asking Sony to kick all the PS2 machines which were there for the kids to play.
What MS got out of this? Mr. Ballmer preaches that MS is trying to be humble and play alone - now there are news in the mainstream media (and I'm sure some video) that shows the opposite - MS just got bad press from this - nothing changed at MS camp..
Re:Who would buy gaming hardware from stuck up pri (Score:2, Informative)
Looks like there was a GameCube on show available for play as well. I believe it was at ATI's stand.
Re:parent is offtopic (Score:2, Informative)
Now you can calm down.
Re:Not really worth getting excited about (Score:2)
Which they got away with, ultimately.
Re:wow.... is microsoft really this evil? (Score:2)
Having said that, arg matey!
Re:What's the real story? Here's the Answer... (Score:3, Informative)
The following article in German [heise.de] from Heise.de explains that the reason for ejecting Playstations from the show was that CeBIT is a tradeshow for "Business and Professional" exhibits. You cannot display consumer electronics or games. That is why Microsoft shows the Xbox only behind glass, and Sony showing 27 PS-2 boxes to play with was against the rules.
Yes, Microsoft's whining is pretty sad, but killing the PS-2 display had little to do with hands-on vs. suits showing off.
Re:This is a rough game... (Score:3, Insightful)
Rules are rules. If you cheat, and it's in someone else's interests to stop you, especially if they're following said rule, then they have every right to ask that it be enforced.