i don't get what MS is trying to achieve. the market isn't there anymore. so why prop up a business with outside money?
dell for consumers is done. low margin commodities can be done without that kind of overhead. a race to the bottom is profitable for while, but then you reach it and boom.
Dell makes a nice bit of coin (2+bil in profit last quarter according to google), mostly from the enterprise stuff, hence the kerfuffle over 3Par 2 years ago.
What I don't get is why they're submitting to a leveraged buyout.
It's Michael Dell that's trying to bring the company private. It's hardly submitting to a leveraged buyout when it's the founder and CEO (who still owns ~ 12% of the company) leading the effort.
dell for consumers is done. low margin commodities can be done without that kind of overhead. a race to the bottom is profitable for while, but then you reach it and boom.