The J-Man

Will Adobe Scream 'Anti-Competitive' in the Face of a Microsoft Attack?

On Dec 17 02:39 PM OfNoConsequence wrote:
>
> With regard to NetFlix using Silverlight for it's player, their own
> Customer Support people are saying "it just works". Which is what
> the customers actually want. Something that "just works".

"Just works", just like Flash video, but as a "trophy customer", Microsoft pays you to use their media player. Kind of like being paid to take experimental medicines if you ask me...Sure it's profitable, but there may be unintended side effects. Why would Netflix have to create a press release about laying people off unless it was part of a deal with MSFT? Additionally, it is most likely that they (Netflix) can lay off those people because Microsoft has a whole army of underemployed Silverlight techs willing to offer their support as part of the deal.

Bottom line: Adobe doesn't need to make deals like this. Look at MLB changing back to Flash for all you need to know about Silverlight. Or, look at some of the responses to Netflix's own blog:

blog.netflix.com/2008/...

Will Adobe Scream 'Anti-Competitive' in the Face of a Microsoft Attack?

Seriously? Apparently the author of this article may be the recipient of some of Microsoft's "investments". Microsoft might have some deep pockets, but they are still years behind Flash in terms of capabilities and will never, repeat never, win over the design folks who happen to create the content on Mac computers. Adobe's revenue (from selling the authoring tools) is safe, and the best Microsoft can do is write Silverlight off as the next version of Windows Media Player for the web.

In case you haven't noticed, Microsoft is under attack from all fronts (Mac OS, OpenOffice, Firefox, Google Search, Nintendo Wii, the list goes on and on...). Every lost battle on any of these fronts hurts MSFT on all of the others.