Look Microsoft, you've done alright with the Xbox360 and its obviously a success compared to the first xbox but the last thing you want to do is start treating your UK customers the way Sony do and the way Nintendo did for the last 15 years.

Its cost you a lot of money to win the public over with your new console but this is a smack in the mouth for the current silver users.

You should make this active from now on, i.e new owners who sign up for Silver from now onwards will have the delayed service but existing Silver users have their accounts unchanged.

I have a Gold account but cant help but feel that after all the hard work you've put in trying to make the 360 a success, you're only going to undo all that work by getting too big for your boots too soon.

Microsoft might be money grabbing but they only offer and people buy, they dont physically demand your money or take it, people give it to them.

There is no other service like Xbox Live which is soo well intergrated its the best thing since well you know lol.

So....pay money and get the demo now, or be patient and save money by waiting 7 days.....where is the problem?

If you don't want to play online or download everything the moment it is out, it is not such a big deal.

I only got Gold to play the Halo3 beta, and now i do occasionally play online because of it. Then again, I do play PC as well, which is free for online play

People actually use the silver membership?

I can't see the problem. Gold users pay to subsidise the servers, Silver users have consciously made that decision to stay free, so shouldn't expect a full service.

I'm a silver member, and I don't really care. I'm not desperate to get at everything straight away. If I were that into it, I would probably have a gold membership anyway. In fact the reason I don't mind too much is I can't be bothered to buy the wireless adapter or run a long ethernet cable into my lounge, but that's another story!

I think the reason people might be annoyed is that it's clear Microsoft marketing of "Buy our product or you'll be disadvantaged". Others might be annoyed that the offers available to Silver members will slowly be erroded until the only option is to pay?