Ultimately, Microsoft and Sony both benifit from shortages and long lines. They gets lots of press about how 'popular' their system is and how many people are wanting it. Never mind that the lines and shortages are generated because the company intentionally made too few systems. Fortunately, it seems like from the XBox 360 release that the press has started getting wise to this tactic and has started to report that the company hasn't made enough instead of "they are so popular!".