"MICROSOFT'S Plus Digital Media Edition, an XP add-on pack, will be the first commercial product the software monopolist will offer punters online..... And retailers in Microsoft's channel will be eyeing the development uneasily, as the "photo, music and movie enhancement pack for Windows" goes on sale next week.... Microsoft, says that when its Plus! Digital Media Edition becomes available via download in the US on January 7th, it will be "the first complete Microsoft product to be offered as a download via online retailers." Even these retailers will be anxious that the move by Microsoft to offer its products on line will eventually leave them out in the cold. One retailer who preferred not to be named told us, "Obviously Microsoft could potentially offer its products directly over the Internet at some stage in the future," he said. "And that could force us out to a certain extent.....""
More here.