I guess I am a little confused as to how this will create a "very plain, vanilla, look-a-like future" for us.

[Retailers create nice looking store presentations. If companies like IBM, Intel and Microsoft begin creating stations like this, then where is the unique aspects that make it desirable for me to go to Sears instead of JC Penny? Or I don't even know what retailers are around anymore these days as I do most of my shopping through my wife, but there are aspects of uniqueness that will be lost.

I was watching a Marx Brothers movie over the holidays. It was called The Big Store, 1941. I was amazed at how many features they had back then. I realize some of that is Hollywood, but not all of it is. They had features back then that in modern stores we would never dream of.

The same is true of common retail stores today like gas stations. How many gas stations have any kind of service bays for repairing cars? Very few, and none of the newer ones. It's about gas and everything is about the same. Candy over there, chips over there, oil and antifreeze over there, restrooms over there, fountain drinks and coffe over there, and the cash register over there. Very seldom do you come across a unique design that's not a mom-and-pop place.

I'm basically saying this: In the past, retailers would've gone to IBM, Microsoft or Intel to get products required to make their creation operate. Now, however, those companies are producing products that can replace the retailer's personal apprroaches or designs. Why would they pay $10,000 to design a particular store display - one which requires maintenance and seasonal changes when they could buy some kiosks for about the same and change them regularly through the provided software?

It seems to be something less than what it is because it's sourced from fewer origins. Multiple stores in the past, multiple ways to sell merchandise. Today with major chains, there aren't as many solutions. Something's been lost. -Rick]

It has been my experience that the only thing that keeps retailers from being plain and vanilla is the displays that are set up in each store by the various companies to make their products stand out from the others. When companies aren't going out and setting up interactive displays themselves retailers make a pretty sad effort at making the products look anymore attractive than the ones sitting next to them.

On a side note, I do agree that being in a giant Microsoft only based store would be pretty boring seeing as to how most all of their products do look and act the same. But this should give the opportunity to other businesses to do the same and look much more attractive.

Since when personal preferences belong to reporting on objective event or situation? Who cares whether you like blue or red, please? De gustibus non est disputandum!

[It's in the opinion section. -Rick]

If they partner with Walmart to selling goods, it is pragmatic. But only selling Microsoft products in a 20,000 sq feet facility to analyse customer behavior, it is dumb as before.

A lot of times, new technology comes out and a lot of ppl have no idea what to do with it. This is microsoft's way of generating demand by showcasing what it can do. IBM does the same thing by showcasing their process technology by building the POWER chips themselves. Just like training ppl on new stuff, they don't know what they can do with it until someone shows them.