One thing that I don’t get is why developers release their systems around Christmas. The console is going to sell-out when it launches regardless of what time of year it is, unless it is a new company or a crappy system. It seems like the makers are hurting their sales by releasing it around this time since they sell their initial shipment and then have a hard time getting enough systems out to cover the rest of the demand, which is very high around Christmas. It just seems to me that if the maklers released the systems early enough to get a good supply by Christmas, things would be better overall.
Sony fucked itself, yes. Nintendo had good supplies imo; I don’t think anyone anticipated the sheer folly which is the demand.
Seriously, when I look at the way Sony is behaving “hey look! we’re selling out!”, I can’t help but think of VGCats’ comic on the topic. They create a shortage, then are happy its hard to get a PS3. The funny thing that I’ve noticed up to now is that while the PS3 does eventually sell out, the demand for it is much less than for the Wii and thus it takes more than a few minutes for it to sell out at a given store or site. It takes about a day or 2 at most, for PS3s.
Another example is how less than 1 game was sold on avg per PS3 at launch, whereas people actually wanted to play with their Wiis.
Spot the subtext! 
Still though, it will be really interesting to see just what demand there is for the PS3 when it launches in Europe in the decidedly non-Christmassy March.