The Xbox One might be appealing if it turns out to be completely free, but it won't be. I just can't imagine why anyone would willingly purchase a console like that. Why would someone put up with all those arbitrary rules, restrictions and guidelines when they can simply choose not to buy it?
It doesn't matter how many exclusive games it gets - unless they remove all the restrictions and rules, who'd intentionally buy it?
Another thing that doesn't make sense to me is why they would release all this information about it, and in such a blatant way. You'd think they would downplay all those awful rules, phrase it differently so that it could be interpreted in more ways etc. Are they bound by law or something?
It's like.. if I had a product I wanted to sell, and in the first page of the description I say that it's a terrible product that comes with a ton of arbitrary rules, instead of saying it in a manner that's open to interpretation and makes the (seemingly) most obvious one sound great. Well, I wouldn't personally do that, but any company that's out to make a profit does so.
EDIT: Well, in light of the NSA thing, it sort of makes sense if they are indeed doing business together. The Xbox One debacle might undermine the NSA thing, and it certainly provides a better balance of mindshare. Without the Xbox One debacle, there wouldn't be any balance, the NSA one would dominate and be the only thing people talked about, and would get far, far more attention.
Sony has a chance to completely dominate the next generation. I really, really hope they are in a position to do so. While it may be hyperbolic, I think that if there is no proper alternative to a next-gen, horrible DRM console, the console gaming market would crash. If there isn't, gaming would be changed for the far, far worse, and the publishers would control everything. Disposable, simplistic gaming experiences would become the norm.
This Xbox One scheme is seemingly terrible for everyone but the console creator and a select, few wealthy publishers.