The thing that gripes me most about the whole 'Xbox experience' is CHOICE. As a consumer who has spent my hard earned on a big white brick, I want the final say as to what software runs on it, not micro$oft. Sure I can understand critical patches that fix bugs and security issues, but completely re-working the user interface WITHOUT ANY CHOICE is a fucking slap in the face. I'm sure your all disagreeing with me, saying that the 'update' is not all that bad, but like a parkinsons sufferer trying to fuck a goat, you are missing the point. If I had the CHOICE to change the layout of my entire user interface I would be perfectly fine with it, no problems, sure it's different but if I don't like it I can always change back, right? Apparently not.
Lag
I am against micro$oft's idea of packaging everything into one 'multimedia' console. When I bought my Xbox I was expecting a streamlined efficient GAMING fuck-mothering console not a laggy bogged-down multimedia rig that I could listen to all my music and videos while checking my e-mail and messaging 6 friends, I have a perfectly good laptop for that, I JUST WANT TO PLAY FUCKING GAMES.
Copycat
Micro$oft seems to be suffering from a very bad case of innovation-disorder, they simply haven't been the first to do anything, ever. Everything micro$oft does has been done before and better. Take the addition of avatars in the recent 'New Xbox Experience' update, it's a blatant rip-off of Nintendo Mii, it looks identical. Micro$oft also copying Apple and Nintendo.
Security, or Stupidity
Unknown to many 360 owners, the entire inside of the console employs hardware based encryption. EVERYTHING is locked down like a gold fountain in a bad neighborhood. The CPU has a unique code written to it when the console is manufactured this means the console belongs to micro$oft, not you. An Xbox owner has simply paid for the privilege to borrow the console, its not truly yours. For example, a user can easily run Linux on their PS3, and there is even a distro for PS2, but not the 360, you play what micro$oft tells you to.
More Issues than Games
The software is only half the story when it comes to gaming, hardware is the other half, and when it comes to hardware, micro$oft is a massive FAIL. Xbox 360 hardware problems even have their own Wikipedia page dedicated to them.
"These issues were alleged to be the end results of the decisions of management in Microsoft's Xbox team and inadequate testing resources prior to the console's release. A second source cited that, at one time, there was just a 32% yield of one of the test production runs. 68 of every 100 test units were found to be defective." - Wikipedia
I'm not a Nintendo fan boy, nor a hater, I've just never been caught up in the hype, but if you look on the rather large Wikipedia page, there is no 'hardware issues' in sight. I'm not saying the Wii is the single most perfect thing ever produced by man, but it simply hasn't got the issues the 360 does. Same story on the side of the PS3, not the most popular console upon launch due to a lack of games, but NO hardware issues.
The 360 on the other hand has an impressive list of shortcomings:
- RROD
- Overheating (affects approx 1/3 of all consoles ever produced)
- Scratched disks
- November 2006 software patch "bricking" consoles
- Video failures
- Disk tray not ejecting/closing
- Useless updates being forced onto users who have no choice in the matter.
Please comment and feel free to vent your anger against micro$oft and tell your own experiences.
