Just when people thought they had figured out Microsoft's hardball tactics to dominate any market it desires, along comes Xbox. Development of the sleek new video game console, which arrives in stores Thursday, belies a number of long-held assumptions about the software giant. Rather than imposing rigid conditions on other software makers, Microsoft is playing nicely with its new partners in the game business. And instead of appealing to a narrow segment of business decision-makers, it's courting finicky consumers. Of course, Microsoft has been forced to adopt this kinder, gentler approach out of necessity.
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