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Ask HN: If you are CEO of Microsoft, will you build a Microsoft branded PC?
What is stopping MS from doing so? They already have MS branded phones and tons of experience building computing hardware (XBOX 360).
- jolan 16y agoThe margins on PC hardware are razor thin. It would take a major investment for little profit. Also, Microsoft hasn't done a great job with the xbox 360. For example, the red ring of death problem on old models and the graphics flicker on the new slim models.
- mooism2 16y agoWould it provoke existing PC manufacturers to ship PCs with a Linux-based OS instead of Windows? I think we'd find it easier to buy a PC without Windows --- not what Microsoft wants. Some PC manufacturers would doubtless shout "monopoly" and could credibly threaten to drag Microsoft through the courts, or even into antitrust again. That said, I can see a niche for them in selling PCs with high quality drivers (and thus a more stable Windows). But I don't think it would be profitable enough to be worth it for them.