I felt a need to revive this old thread.
In a computer magazine here in Sweden I read an interview with Jens Gorne, some sort of product manager for Windows XP.
The journalist asks:
"Isn't it very cheap of you to charge extra money for fishes to a screensaver when you have already paid a lot of money for the operative system and the Plus-package?"
Jens Gorne answers:
"Ha, ha. Yes I agree!. I thought it was a joke when I first heard it. I think you should look upon it as just a funny thing... and at the same time it's a test for the possibility to charge for extra components in a operative system. Even without the extra fishes it's a damn nice screensaver."
The journalist asks:
"Are you planning to remove the Start menu in next version of Windows and sell that separately?"
Jens Gorne answers:
"Yes, that and the function 'save as' will cost some extra $1200 USD in the next version. - No, of course not! But I think that we in the future will see an increased possibility to download additional parts... like extra language packs for a modest sum."
The journalist asks:
"Back to the fishes. Would you consider buying 13 extra fishes for your screensaver?"
Jens Gorne answers:
"As a product manager for Windows I probably would, but as a private... I don't know. I'm very happy with it as it is. (3 fishes version.)"
****
So.. reading this you get the idea that the screensaver is made by Microsoft... Not a word of the origin, or the man behind it, and why it costs extra...
It sadens me some Jim... I hope people who buy the Plus package really buy the full version from you and that they realizes that this isn't a Microsoft product. Otherwise it looks like you made a bad descision letting it be a part of the Plus pack (for free?!)...
BTW
www.rainbowfoto.com/PlusWeb/228.htm is STILL under construction!