Hey, why not simply call it "LameWare?"

Microsoft is making this blogging business way too easy.

The company earlier agreed to the European Commission's demand that it offer a stripped-down version of Windows without Media Player already built in.

So what do they do? They name the product: "Windows XP Reduced Media Edition." I kid you not.

That's akin to labeling the product "LameWare: Don't buy it because it bites."

But now Europeans regulators are finally waking up -- one month later. In the meantime what were the marketing chiefs at Microsoft thinking when they came up with this stroke of "genius?" You have to assume they knew exactly what they were doing. Joe Customer (or in Europe, Jacques Customer) isn't going to be drawn to a product that's not "full-functioned." But put the two versions of XP side by side and it's obvious which one is going to be more appealing.

When it comes to raw brass, these guys are truly in a league by themselves.