[xan]

I am just writing this to ask if you have noticed the increased amount of Microsoft advertisements. (Especially here in Europe).

I was watching LIVINGtv and there has been 2 or 3 in the last few hours. I have reason to beleive that it is Microsoft trying to win back customers who have turned to other Operating systems.

SuSE Linux is the best selling and most downloaded Linux of Europe, More and more companies and individuals are conveting to Unix/Linux systems. I personally do not think it is a significant enough rise for Microsoft to be worried as Apple have been a more powerfull opponant compared to Linux and yet they are not as powerfull as Microsoft.

Mandrake, RedHat, Fedora and Debian Linux are also increadibly popular, there are a lot of downloads of these operating systems especially in Amerika, home of Microsoft.

Could it be that there is a significant enough rise in Linux users that Microsoft are now afraid?

Does anyone know?

It does seem suspicious though, If you have any comments please add them... I am really interested and want to find out what is going on as it is bugging me that Microsoft now advertise on TV and in Magazines more than ever.

[Martin L]

in my point of view it has nothing to do with losing marketshare.... Only thing is that microsoft has to distibute a stripped version of xp here in europe and they have to sell it. Also the next generation of OS is comming, and yes i mean longhorn. They also need to sell that one... if not years of development are gone in nothing.

just my 2 cents

[xan]

Martin L, on Apr 28 2005, 02:41 PM, said:

in my point of view it has nothing to do with losing marketshare.... Only thing is that microsoft has to distibute a stripped version of xp here in europe and they have to sell it. Also the next generation of OS is comming, and yes i mean longhorn. They also need to sell that one... if not years of development are gone in nothing.

just my 2 cents
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I see your point, this is very valid.

However do they need the advertisement? Longhorn is talked about quite a lot without advertisement.

Meh, Sounds about right anyway.

[Martin L]

well yes the nerds and internetting people know about longhorn, but when I ask some of my fellow students they are looking at me like the see water in fire... so I think they definitely need to advertise to reach the not knowing people too

[SiMoNsAyS]

i think exactly the same, is windows xp "N" what provocates it.
m$ knows very well how to transform a lost battle into a new product. soon will see the "new-full-updated" xp N! bunch of features and better than ever! lol

just marketting, you know, like any other enterprise