As someone who pays for their games, pays for their Live subscription and plays fairly online, I don't have a problem with this. Perhaps it will lead to some of the banned players actually paying for their online gaming, in which case Microsoft might like to consider lowering the cost of Xbox Live Gold accounts slightly...

I'm not banking on it though!

Just think: if Counter Strike was available on the Xbox 360; Cheating would be almost impossible and not worth the effort! (nahh, too good to be true)

Admittedly, Microsoft does have its bright moments. (Well maybe not Steve Ballmer but thats beside the point.)

Microsoft are doing this as the NXE approaches, so that all the suckers go out and buy a new console.

They never tell you why you have been banned. Also it is not illegal to mod your console here in the UK and nowhere on their TOC's does it say about modding a console will get you banned.

Someone needs to come up with a better service than Live so that Microsoft will at least then feel as though they need to warrant why bans take place.