Firefox Founders: "We want to make money..." 10171

Perhaps I think it's totally ridiculous to have to read great-great-grandparent posts in order to figure out what somebody "really meant" when they plainly said - Microsoft has profit margins of "75% or more."

I'm not going to waste my time searching up the post tree ad-infinitum trying to figure out what some post may, or may not, imply. If somebody says that "Microsoft has 75% or more" profit margins then I'm not some psychic that's going to figure out what they implied or meant to say.

I haven't changed my reference on anything. If the post that I replied to says "Microsoft has 75% or more" profit margins and I specifically address that statement then how exactly is that changing my mind?

This is exactly how corporate profit margins are computed. At GM for example their most profitable car is the Corvette. Notice that when they advertise a $3000 rebate or "Employee discounts for everyone" the fine print at the bottom of the add reads that this offer does not apply to the Corvette.

There is no law, written or implied, that says every product that every company sells must have the same profit margins. Microsoft is not just Windows. They are a large company and at the end of the day, it is the total-average profit margins that matter.

And guess what... when DirectTV installs those 4 satellite dishes and receivers at your house for $9.95... they don't make a profit on the hardware either.