Lets just hang the sign out; US government for sale, highest bidder. Bill Gates has done enough to crush the little guy in this country. His down right shameful, dishonest, and dirty business practices do not make him worthy of any public office.

Furthermore, what I find offensive, is that someone like you, who should be a Microsoft watcher, actually fawns over Bill Gates and his kind. Bill is just the modern age equivalent of a robber baron.

Which brings me to my question. We know in previous posts you have been given Zunes to try by Microsoft. You admitted that right up front, to your credit, I might add. So did you receive free laptops as well from Microsoft? I think so, and this article seems to support that.

Microsoft Tries To Buy New Friends

http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2006/12/microsoft_tries_1.html

quote; "Microsoft has reportedly sent out new AMD-equipped Acer laptops in an effort to get prominent bloggers using Microsoft’s new Vista operating system. Typically when a company wants journalists to review their new software on a fast machine they loan it out for review purposes and then the machine gets returned. If Microsoft were to give away copies of Vista that would make sense and probably raise no eyebrows at all, but giving away a whole laptop understandably strikes some as little more than bribery."
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My question again Joe, did you receive free laptops from Microsoft, and what else does Microsoft supply you? Answer if you can.

Bill Gates and his company break laws over and over again, causing enormous damage in the computing marketplace. He therefore seems well-qualified to be President or Vice President of the USA.

As to this multi-billionaire giving a few million dollars away-- somehow, he always gets really big headlines for it, and in every single year since 2000 my household has given away a larger portion of our total assets than he has. All "spin", hardly any money.

My question again Joe, did you receive free laptops from Microsoft, and what else does Microsoft supply you? Answer if you can.

I don't condemn you if you had, but I do believe that it has colored your judgment towards what Microsoft has and is doing. This post about Bill Gates is just proof of that. This is a good time to admitt that you did what almost all bloggers have done. Even Ed Bott admitted to it. And I would say that both Ed Bott and George Oui, are the two biggest fanbois on the face of the planet. You, Joe Willcox, pale besides them. So come clean, and confess, so Microsoft cannot blackmail you.

And please stop fawning over Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer. Bill has given Billions to his foundation, but the foundation has really not spent a lot of money, it mostly invests. Heck, Bill got Warren Buffet to donate perhaps more to his foundation than Bill did, or at least close to it.

A foundation can be a slick way to get around the inheritance taxes of most countries. I simple, you pass on control of the foundation to the ones you would have left the money to anyway. They draw a salary, and control the money, for whatever purposes they chose. Mostly for political purposes, etc. Do I know for a fact this is what Bill is doing? No, but its possible, and even more likely with his past history.

Chip, I agree that Microsoft has spent $BILLION$ over the years on what they call research and developement but most of that has gone toward bribes and creating FUD through messageboards and blog sites. I know because i've been living it and have had death threats against me several times!
(And Yes I did report them)

Microsoft's obvious motive in any suspected efforts to damage VCSY:
The two VCSY patents act as pivot points for key elements of Microsoft's continually degraded performance toward attempting to field Bill Gates' early XML vision. The vision has yet to see the light of day, although, for years prior to the granting of VCSY's SiteFlash patent 6826744 in November 2004, Microsoft was very energetic in demonstrating what they could do with XML, but still they have shown nothing.
They teach you in detective school that if you happen upon a scene and there is someone in the batch that has motive and opportunity and means, you should look at the dates and events and see if the suspect can be aligned with those. I would say Microsoft has the largest motives (which are the power and reach the 6826744 and 7076521 patents could provide Microsoft over all other manufacturers) and the most obvious opportunities (comprised of work done from at least 2000 to late 2004/early 2005 which could have put Microsoft on top of any other manufacturers were it not for the existence of the 6826744 patent) and certainly the means (which are doubtless legendary and often emphasized by advocates of Microsoft's predatory monopolistic manners).
So, in detective school, they also teach you to make note of such actors and dig into their backgrounds to see if they are in the habit of "offing" weaker associates with which they have a similar motive and opportunity. And, sure enough, Microsoft has numerous events which tag them as someone you wouldn't want to hold your sandwich while you went to make a phone call.
Looks to me like our preliminary indictment of Microsoft has numerous clues and indications which would likely drive a judge to view them with suspicion and a desire to examine. That's Microsoft's fault. Not VCSY's.
VCSY Shareholders are simply interested in the facts and they enjoy digging up factual items regarding Microsoft and apparent connections and allowing others to read.
I happen to be here to make the facts public and entertaining.
It's up to those who read to challenge the juxtaposition of those facts with the image Microsoft itself projects.
It's also up to those desiring to provide Microsoft with an alibi or mitigating facts to rehabilitate Microsoft's suspicious image. So far, nobody wants to take us up on the technological discussion. Nobody can knock out the patent claims. Nobody has offered a smidgen of evidence Microsoft can achieve Bill Gates' XML fantasies and schemes without relying on VCSY's patents 6826744 or 7076521.

So far, Microsoft looks as "innocent" as a jealous woman with a bloody ax.
"Microsoft pales when compared to the integrated oils and producers."
Oh. I see. One other area they teach you to watch for in detective school is other actors who may be willing accomplices ready to provide a misdirection for the suspect's actions. Now, we find you, Mister Wacalaca, wanting us to turn our attention to world energy problems so we can find rascals in that particular industry.
Nice try, but, last we looked, VCSY patents related to web-platforming and web-applications... a place where Microsoft said they wanted to be from 2000 until 2005. Then, they said they didn't need to be there. Then, once VCSY sent them a cease and desist, they decided they actually did want to be on the web... but they haven't been able to do so.
If Microsoft had been in the oil industry, the patents would not apply so we would have no need to be suspicious. But, thanks for giving us a perfect analogy to describe Microsoft's place in the software industry. Since they "pale when compared" to what you deride as abusive monopolistic actions in the oil industry, you've at least given us renewed confirmation Microsoft is not to be trusted.

oh c'mon. this is linkbait, in its purest form.

and look at the usual suspects, commenting like little madmen. type away fools!

@ di;

Tell Steve Ballmer even the oldest cat knows it's easier to climb up a tree than to climb down a tree.

Once you get where you think you're going, you find out you maybe didn't really want to be there in the first place.

Do your own linking.

Bill Gates as a politician. HA

That's funny. Politicians are supposed to be able to cover their inconsistencies. Bill hasn't done that very well.

Politicians are supposed to hide their hypocrisies. Bill? It all sneaks out over time.

Politicians are supposed to be more concerned with the welfare of others than the self-aggrandizing monetization of properties in the hands of others. Bill, you've proven yourself covetous.

A politician is supposed to honor the search for truthful information and honest report. Bill has a history of buying journalists and fielding operatives. It's what having a pile of money allows.

That is... as long as it's YOUR money. Taxpayers don't like politicians buying journalists and fielding operatives. They call that facism in places where politicians with piles of money get away with it.

Bill's vice is he can't hide. That's why he can't be a politician.

Sorry Bill. You'll just have to be a has-been industrialist with dreams of profitable philanthropy. But, you'll find philanthropy doesn't wash the stink off. And, once you've been found out in the open and unable to hide, nobody will want to take even a philanthropist's money.

That's what happens to politicians who can't hide. Industrialists can hide for a while as long as they're industrious. Philanthropists can hide under phony praise. Politicians? No.

Gates might make a better president than either Obama or McCain.

Bill Gates in 2008 campaign slogan

"Vote for me, or I will unleash Vista on a unsuspecting public!" ..."oh wait i already did"...

chips wrote: "My question again Joe, did you receive free laptops from Microsoft, and what else does Microsoft supply you?"

The answer is still "no," chips, same as it was when one of Microsoft's PR agencies distributed the laptops in the month before Windows Vista shipped.

Sure, Microsoft sends some software for testing, like Office 2007. It helps to write about stuff I've actually used. But I see limited personal benefit. I usually write on the Web (blogs) or use e-mail (not Outlook), IM or a text editor, from the desktop.

Nobody regularly reading this blog could possibly accuse of Microsoft favoritism. You're serious?

Joe

Joe;

"Nobody regularly reading this blog could possibly accuse of Microsoft favoritism. You're serious?"

I think anyone who thinks you work for Microsoft, I mean a "spokesperson" after reading many of your articles on MS Watch can't be serious. Besides, aren't you also on AppleWatch too?

Oh in case there's a Microsoft person, a rep out here reading through these blogs and would like to give me a new laptop, please give it to Chips or one of the other commenters out here. Though, Chips mat take the laptop and put Ubuntu on it instead...

I for one already have a couple of laptops and more computers than a man needs. Besides, I have my own Microsoft Rep, we'll call him Ivan. Ivan has been working with Microsoft since 1983 and has all of the "good" products such as software from Redmond.

Ivan "gives" away like Office 2007. SQL Server 2008 Developer's, Server editions along with .Net Studio 2008 Enterprise editions to anyone that asks and if you need any of the Server Operating Systems, Ivan can provide for free.

If Ivan doesn't have it by Microsoft, you don't need it!

Of course Ivan has his own brand and lable that is on the software installation CDs and DVDs and he talks with a slight Russian accent, but the software is legit and you won't have any problems installing the applications to include the malware and special hacks to circomvent the entire security of the computer you wish to put and run it on -- But, that's the breaks...

Crush the little guy? Us little guys have the potential to be whatever we want in this country. If we crush the big guy and let government take over, no one will have anything they dream for. So, I say, yeah to the imperfect but sucessful Microsoft!

Joe says;
"chips wrote: "My question again Joe, did you receive free laptops from Microsoft, and what else does Microsoft supply you?"

The answer is still "no," chips, same as it was when one of Microsoft's PR agencies distributed the laptops in the month before Windows Vista shipped."
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I accept your answer. Most bloggers have accepted those laptops. But still, I just could not understand all the praise for Bill Gates. He is not a perfect man, far from it. He is not an example of what people should strife for in life. I do not believe him to be an honest man, in his business practices. And it would be nice to see a little balance on the subject. Thanks for the reply.

maybe one day bill gates will be as accomplished as chips... and manage to post 30 comments to this board per day.

chips = loser

This blog has become nothing more than a Microbashingfest by Linux fanatics.

BlahBlah says:

"This blog has become nothing more than a Microbashingfest by Linux fanatics"..............

And in object fascination and horror, you watch as the Open Source/Mac Snake swallows whole the Microsoft Frog. Slowly at first, then little by little the Microsoft Frog ceases to struggle. Already Microsoft has lost more than 4% of the desktop market since the advent of Vista, the Snake has sprung.

So why do u post here BlahBlah? Is it the fascination?

Obama/Gates would be just fine with me this country needs a little advancement for a change