Comments on: Microsoft crosses the line as it bribes bloggers with Vista notebooks http://tech.blorge.com/Structure: /2006/12/27/microsoft-crosses-the-line-as-it-bribes-bloggers-with-vista-notebooks/ Technology news Mon, 22 Mar 2010 10:59:19 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: accommodation inverness http://tech.blorge.com/Structure:/2006/12/27/microsoft-crosses-the-line-as-it-bribes-bloggers-with-vista-notebooks/comment-page-1/#comment-214593 accommodation inverness Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:12:59 +0000 http://tech.blorge.com/Structure: /2006/12/27/microsoft-crosses-the-line-as-it-bribes-bloggers-with-vista-notebooks/#comment-214593 hi cool post thanks for sharing the information. <a href="http://www.invernessholidaycottage.co.uk" / rel="nofollow">accommodation inverness </a> hi

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]]> By: Andru Edwards http://tech.blorge.com/Structure:/2006/12/27/microsoft-crosses-the-line-as-it-bribes-bloggers-with-vista-notebooks/comment-page-1/#comment-2456 Andru Edwards Fri, 29 Dec 2006 19:42:40 +0000 http://tech.blorge.com/Structure: /2006/12/27/microsoft-crosses-the-line-as-it-bribes-bloggers-with-vista-notebooks/#comment-2456 We also have <a href="http://www.gearlive.com/index.php/news/article/microsoft-goes-viral-vanishing-point-1228/" rel="nofollow">received a fully loaded Media Center PC from Microsoft</a> as part of this campaign. People need to stop complaining - in reality, it really seems that those complaining are those who weren't chosen. It is COMMON PRACTICE from companies to get their products into the hands of those who review said products, prior to a launch. How else are you supposed to review them before they are available to the general public? This isn't just for the tech industry - Ebert and Roeper see movies - for free - before they are available to the public. Any problem there? Probably not. Plus this is a part of something bigger that Microsoft is doing - the <a href="http://www.gearlive.com/index.php/news/article/microsoft-goes-viral-vanishing-point-12271/" rel="nofollow">Vanishing Point</a> game, where <a href="http://www.gearlive.com/index.php/news/article/vanishing-point-lokis-video-briefing-1228/" rel="nofollow">Loki</a> is the one "planning" these giveaways. We also have received a fully loaded Media Center PC from Microsoft as part of this campaign. People need to stop complaining – in reality, it really seems that those complaining are those who weren’t chosen. It is COMMON PRACTICE from companies to get their products into the hands of those who review said products, prior to a launch. How else are you supposed to review them before they are available to the general public? This isn’t just for the tech industry – Ebert and Roeper see movies – for free – before they are available to the public. Any problem there? Probably not.

Plus this is a part of something bigger that Microsoft is doing – the Vanishing Point game, where Loki is the one “planning” these giveaways.

]]> By: Mike http://tech.blorge.com/Structure:/2006/12/27/microsoft-crosses-the-line-as-it-bribes-bloggers-with-vista-notebooks/comment-page-1/#comment-2452 Mike Fri, 29 Dec 2006 18:13:19 +0000 http://tech.blorge.com/Structure: /2006/12/27/microsoft-crosses-the-line-as-it-bribes-bloggers-with-vista-notebooks/#comment-2452 If the bloggers hadn't told of the "gifts" from M$, and had simply began commenting on how great Vista is... that would be against ethics. As it is, they said, "Hey! I got this!" then they may or may not have told their opinion about M$'s new OS. As far as M$'s giving away the computers, well I see nothing wrong with it. M$ has given away many hundreds of computers around the world. M$ gave my local libraries several dozen computers. M$ gave all the schools in my tri-state area all the DELL computers they currently use (which is a LOT). Last time I check M$ wasn't DELL Corp! But it is okay! It's just good PR. As far as the bloggers go, if they were told that they HAD to write good things... or anything at all, then I would be jumping as M$. As it stands, I'd say that anyone who looks at this and says "M$ stepped over the line" is simply ignorant as to what makes good PR and is most probably jealous. I honestly think that this is a non-issue which maya blogger has made an issue... which is most likely what M$ wanted all along. We have all fallen for the M$ conspiracy! BTW: Any FREE PR is GOOD PR and this is FREE PR for M$! It's all one big PR trap and we've all fallen for it! All this being said, if I had gotten the "gift" I would do as already suggested (save for the donate part) I'd back-up Vista (for frostwire or limewire maybe e-bay :-D) then wipe the HDD and install Linux... either Red Hat or Ubuntu. It would be Debian, but there's something major going on in that community at the moment. Debian may be dead. :-( If the bloggers hadn’t told of the “gifts” from M$, and had simply began commenting on how great Vista is… that would be against ethics. As it is, they said, “Hey! I got this!” then they may or may not have told their opinion about M$’s new OS. As far as M$’s giving away the computers, well I see nothing wrong with it. M$ has given away many hundreds of computers around the world. M$ gave my local libraries several dozen computers. M$ gave all the schools in my tri-state area all the DELL computers they currently use (which is a LOT). Last time I check M$ wasn’t DELL Corp! But it is okay! It’s just good PR. As far as the bloggers go, if they were told that they HAD to write good things… or anything at all, then I would be jumping as M$. As it stands, I’d say that anyone who looks at this and says “M$ stepped over the line” is simply ignorant as to what makes good PR and is most probably jealous.

I honestly think that this is a non-issue which maya blogger has made an issue… which is most likely what M$ wanted all along. We have all fallen for the M$ conspiracy! BTW: Any FREE PR is GOOD PR and this is FREE PR for M$! It’s all one big PR trap and we’ve all fallen for it!

All this being said, if I had gotten the “gift” I would do as already suggested (save for the donate part) I’d back-up Vista (for frostwire or limewire maybe e-bay :-D) then wipe the HDD and install Linux… either Red Hat or Ubuntu. It would be Debian, but there’s something major going on in that community at the moment. Debian may be dead. :-(

]]> By: Steve http://tech.blorge.com/Structure:/2006/12/27/microsoft-crosses-the-line-as-it-bribes-bloggers-with-vista-notebooks/comment-page-1/#comment-2435 Steve Fri, 29 Dec 2006 03:29:54 +0000 http://tech.blorge.com/Structure: /2006/12/27/microsoft-crosses-the-line-as-it-bribes-bloggers-with-vista-notebooks/#comment-2435 One more thing: if the blogger/recipient actually does feel like they owe MS something for the gift MS gave them (though I can't imagine why this would be. I don't feel obligated to give someone a gift when they give me one. I give gifts when I feel like giving them, not when I feel others expect it of me) then the best present they can possibly give back to MS isn't a favourable review if it's a bad product, it's a realistic review with an indepth critique of all the areas that could be improved. That will allow MS to know what parts of the product can be worked on before official launch time so they have the chance to improve the product. And in the end, aren't improved products something that we all want? :) ~Steven One more thing: if the blogger/recipient actually does feel like they owe MS something for the gift MS gave them (though I can’t imagine why this would be. I don’t feel obligated to give someone a gift when they give me one. I give gifts when I feel like giving them, not when I feel others expect it of me) then the best present they can possibly give back to MS isn’t a favourable review if it’s a bad product, it’s a realistic review with an indepth critique of all the areas that could be improved. That will allow MS to know what parts of the product can be worked on before official launch time so they have the chance to improve the product.

And in the end, aren’t improved products something that we all want? :)

~Steven

]]> By: Steve http://tech.blorge.com/Structure:/2006/12/27/microsoft-crosses-the-line-as-it-bribes-bloggers-with-vista-notebooks/comment-page-1/#comment-2433 Steve Fri, 29 Dec 2006 03:22:26 +0000 http://tech.blorge.com/Structure: /2006/12/27/microsoft-crosses-the-line-as-it-bribes-bloggers-with-vista-notebooks/#comment-2433 Yeah, as has already been said (even by you, Mr. Pospisil) the point of companies giving things away is to promote their products. That's what MS is doing, so ... why be mad? All companies do it; freebies, promotionals, etc. (so what if they're software and sending out hardware? it's double promotion: one for the software company, one for the hardware company) Are we going to start yelling at AOL now because they send out all those damned free frisbees? (well, okay, we do yell at AOL but that's because we *don't* want their CDs). Also, as has been said, bloggers are unaccountable to anyone but themselves. It makes perfect sense to send a product to a non-representative to have that person test out the product and give unbiased feedback on it. If the blogger doesn't like it, they can... write a bad review! Or just throw it in the trash. They're under no obligation to take this GIFT (no strings attached) and write a good review about it. After all, if they do say the product crap, what's MS going to do: ask for it back? Secondly, to overemphasis the point, the products are GIFTS. MS didn't give them out under conditions (or did they, and I missed something?). Thirdly, and most importantly, how can anyone give a proper review of a product if they can't test it? Pre-sale reviews are critical, so instead of just sending products out to potentially biased companies who might write favourable reviews because they feel like they're obligated to (tech-savy consumers are going to realize such reviews are potentially suspect, same as they will of bloggers), MS sends products to bloggers who know that this is probably the only time MS is going to send them a free product and so won't be mislead into writing a good review in the hopes of getting more nifty stuff. Well, if they're intelligent, thinking humans, that is. And if they're not intelligent, thinking humans, why bother listening to them regardless of what they have to say? ~Steven Yeah, as has already been said (even by you, Mr. Pospisil) the point of companies giving things away is to promote their products. That’s what MS is doing, so … why be mad? All companies do it; freebies, promotionals, etc. (so what if they’re software and sending out hardware? it’s double promotion: one for the software company, one for the hardware company)

Are we going to start yelling at AOL now because they send out all those damned free frisbees? (well, okay, we do yell at AOL but that’s because we *don’t* want their CDs).

Also, as has been said, bloggers are unaccountable to anyone but themselves. It makes perfect sense to send a product to a non-representative to have that person test out the product and give unbiased feedback on it. If the blogger doesn’t like it, they can… write a bad review! Or just throw it in the trash. They’re under no obligation to take this GIFT (no strings attached) and write a good review about it. After all, if they do say the product crap, what’s MS going to do: ask for it back?

Secondly, to overemphasis the point, the products are GIFTS. MS didn’t give them out under conditions (or did they, and I missed something?).

Thirdly, and most importantly, how can anyone give a proper review of a product if they can’t test it? Pre-sale reviews are critical, so instead of just sending products out to potentially biased companies who might write favourable reviews because they feel like they’re obligated to (tech-savy consumers are going to realize such reviews are potentially suspect, same as they will of bloggers), MS sends products to bloggers who know that this is probably the only time MS is going to send them a free product and so won’t be mislead into writing a good review in the hopes of getting more nifty stuff. Well, if they’re intelligent, thinking humans, that is. And if they’re not intelligent, thinking humans, why bother listening to them regardless of what they have to say?

~Steven

]]> By: aegis maelstrom http://tech.blorge.com/Structure:/2006/12/27/microsoft-crosses-the-line-as-it-bribes-bloggers-with-vista-notebooks/comment-page-1/#comment-2430 aegis maelstrom Fri, 29 Dec 2006 00:03:55 +0000 http://tech.blorge.com/Structure: /2006/12/27/microsoft-crosses-the-line-as-it-bribes-bloggers-with-vista-notebooks/#comment-2430 I have read the comments and I will just say - wow. Sorry to say, but so many inmature imbeciles I haven't seen in the Internet for a long time. Personally I though that the concept of basing ethics and such basic understanding of human intentions is shared all around the world. But I was wrong. Obviously U.S. produce more eight-years-old-in-mind-but-pretend-to-act-as-grownups people that I imagined. I don't know which comment is the most stupid. Brandon-boy deserves to be bashed. :) But all of them are inmature - many ppl according to the rule: "the thief believes all the others are thieves - because he/she does not know any better". And when I do agree that journalism is heavily corrupted, there still are some standards and people who try to keep them. That's that simple. The funniest/saddest are the guys telling "it's only for trial, we _can_ sand it back. But nobody will, huh? One Mr. Beale is donating EFF. But keep rocking. :) At least we know about this laptop giveaway. And low standards of MySpace generation. What's next? I have read the comments and I will just say – wow. Sorry to say, but so many inmature imbeciles I haven’t seen in the Internet for a long time. Personally I though that the concept of basing ethics and such basic understanding of human intentions is shared all around the world. But I was wrong. Obviously U.S. produce more eight-years-old-in-mind-but-pretend-to-act-as-grownups people that I imagined.

I don’t know which comment is the most stupid. Brandon-boy deserves to be bashed. :) But all of them are inmature – many ppl according to the rule: “the thief believes all the others are thieves – because he/she does not know any better”. And when I do agree that journalism is heavily corrupted, there still are some standards and people who try to keep them.

That’s that simple. The funniest/saddest are the guys telling “it’s only for trial, we _can_ sand it back. But nobody will, huh? One Mr. Beale is donating EFF.

But keep rocking. :) At least we know about this laptop giveaway. And low standards of MySpace generation. What’s next?

]]> By: ~Me~ http://tech.blorge.com/Structure:/2006/12/27/microsoft-crosses-the-line-as-it-bribes-bloggers-with-vista-notebooks/comment-page-1/#comment-2429 ~Me~ Thu, 28 Dec 2006 23:37:06 +0000 http://tech.blorge.com/Structure: /2006/12/27/microsoft-crosses-the-line-as-it-bribes-bloggers-with-vista-notebooks/#comment-2429 Do them one better... donate the Microsoft "gift" to charity --- AFTER wiping the drive of Vista and installing ubuntu on it!! :P ~Ubuntru Rocksssssssssss~ Do them one better… donate the Microsoft “gift” to charity — AFTER wiping the drive of Vista and installing ubuntu on it!! :P

~Ubuntru Rocksssssssssss~

]]> By: Brian Solis http://tech.blorge.com/Structure:/2006/12/27/microsoft-crosses-the-line-as-it-bribes-bloggers-with-vista-notebooks/comment-page-1/#comment-2417 Brian Solis Thu, 28 Dec 2006 18:16:29 +0000 http://tech.blorge.com/Structure: /2006/12/27/microsoft-crosses-the-line-as-it-bribes-bloggers-with-vista-notebooks/#comment-2417 <a href="http://www.briansolis.com/2006/12/microsoft-pr-sparks-blogstorm-of.html" rel="nofollow">Trackback: There is a blogstorm out there with dozens of bloggers, myself included, casting opinions.</a> Trackback: There is a blogstorm out there with dozens of bloggers, myself included, casting opinions.

]]> By: John Pospisil http://tech.blorge.com/Structure:/2006/12/27/microsoft-crosses-the-line-as-it-bribes-bloggers-with-vista-notebooks/comment-page-1/#comment-2413 John Pospisil Thu, 28 Dec 2006 16:40:08 +0000 http://tech.blorge.com/Structure: /2006/12/27/microsoft-crosses-the-line-as-it-bribes-bloggers-with-vista-notebooks/#comment-2413 I'm very happy for people to disagree with my point of view, but I do object to being called a racist. Long Zheng is a successful blogger, who is therefore in the public eye - that's the whole point of being a blogger. That's the only reason why I used him as example. BTW I don't think the bloggers are necessarily doing anything wrong by accepting the notebook. For example, I don't see any problem with Long Zheng, who is an 18-year-old student, who has very clearly disclosed the gift, to take his notebook with open arms. The problem I have is with Microsoft who is quite cynically trying to solicit favorable attention in the blogosphere by being overly generous to a group of select bloggers. I’m very happy for people to disagree with my point of view, but I do object to being called a racist. Long Zheng is a successful blogger, who is therefore in the public eye – that’s the whole point of being a blogger. That’s the only reason why I used him as example. BTW I don’t think the bloggers are necessarily doing anything wrong by accepting the notebook. For example, I don’t see any problem with Long Zheng, who is an 18-year-old student, who has very clearly disclosed the gift, to take his notebook with open arms. The problem I have is with Microsoft who is quite cynically trying to solicit favorable attention in the blogosphere by being overly generous to a group of select bloggers.

]]> By: some guy http://tech.blorge.com/Structure:/2006/12/27/microsoft-crosses-the-line-as-it-bribes-bloggers-with-vista-notebooks/comment-page-1/#comment-2412 some guy Thu, 28 Dec 2006 16:30:14 +0000 http://tech.blorge.com/Structure: /2006/12/27/microsoft-crosses-the-line-as-it-bribes-bloggers-with-vista-notebooks/#comment-2412 I got a free lcd tv when i purchased a new bed, is that crossing the line? people give things away all the time, even things they dont manufacture or distribute. I got a free lcd tv when i purchased a new bed, is that crossing the line? people give things away all the time, even things they dont manufacture or distribute.

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