Here's another hidden gem of 2004. I think the millionth subscriber to the Xbox Live! service is a huge story in a
small story's clothing.
The fact is, Live! is a huge success by almost any standard. Over a million subscribers, logging millions of hours on
a proprietary service they love (for the most part) is a real achievement. How is it any different than, say, Gamespy
Arcade? Well, it isn't, really. Except it's Microsoft, and their ultimate intent is vast and Machiavellian (you
expected different from MS?). The fact that they're seeing success from the project just falls right into Gates' vision
of MS in (control of) every home.
The purpose of Xbox is, after all, to move the company from the office to the den. Once in the den, they know they
need to move beyond games. Sure, Live! is starting as a gaming service, but MS wants it to be much more. They want it
to be the hub of the home; feeding games, media, and gobs of data to wherever, whenever, however (as long as its
Microsoft's way). The success of Live! has given validity to the idea that one day soon, there will be no desktop PC.
Just the home PC. Who watches the Watchmen?
