One Monday morning, at Microsoft HQ:

Bill Gates: Ok, associates, what other things can we do to suck the public dry of cash?

Ass#1: The video game area is a booming industry, your Highness.

Bill: Yes! That's a great idea. What designs do we have in the making?

Ass#2: Well, we want something original, since every other company has a different look to their machines. Nintendo's new machine looks like a handbag, Sony's looks like a VCR, and Sega's looks like a misshapen box. Any ideas?

Bill: Well, here's an idea. We want to cross off all competition, right?

Ass#1: Yeah...?

Bill: And since the thing is going to look boxy anyway, we might as well put Box in the name, right?

Ass#2: Sounds good, highness.

Bill: So our new machine will be called the Xbox!

All: RAH RAH RAH! GO MICROSOFT GO! WE'LL BEAT UP EVERY OTHER BUSINESS SCHMO!

Bill: Alright, now what should we put in the box?

Ass#3: Well, based on estimates, the best competitor has a 405 Mhz processor, so let's top that!

Bill: Sounds good.

Ass#2: And the PS2 can generate 66 million polys/sec. How many can our top-of-the-line P4s generate?

Ass#1: Easily more with a Voodoo5. Let's throw that in!

Bill: Okay. Now, what games can we put on it? Age of Empires is a no-brainer, but what else?

Ass#2: Well, Command & Conquer is a good franchise. And we can always buy some others that we don't have control of already...

Bill: Good. Let's go buy a few big-name game franchises, and Microsoftify them!

All: Here here!

Ass#3: One final thing. Many people who bought the PS2 bought it for its DVD capability. Should we throw that in?

Bill: Yeah, but make it an extra, so that they have to pay more if they want it.

Ass#1: Very lucrative thinking, highness.

Bill: Yes, thank you for the compliment. You deserve a raise. In fact, you all do. Bring a prototype to me before Friday, and you all get a 200% raise!

All: Here here! GO M$ GO!

- Submitted by David Eckert