Microsoft Gives Bloggers Laptops, Again
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News Commentary. Why is nobody making a ruckus? Because it's no big deal now and shouldn't have been one nearly two years ago. |
Microsoft handed out the laptops on Oct. 26 during a reviewers' workshop held before the official start of the Professional Developers Conference, held Oct. 27 to 30. The bloggers, along with analysts and reviewers, received notebooks loaded with Windows 7 Pre-Beta. All week, I have watched for someone to raise a fuss and hoped that no one would. There's simply nothing unethical about the loaner program.
But that wasn't the mood in late 2006. Around Christmas of that year, Microsoft's PR agency started shipping laptops preloaded with Windows Vista, unsolicited, to many bloggers. My former colleague Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols joined the chorus of critics calling the laptops bribes. I defended the practice in a post titled "Microsoft's Laptop Giveaway Is About Influence, Not Bribery."
Influence Is Good Marketing
Microsoft bribed nobody. At the time, Vista was only available to businesses with volume-licensing contracts. No Vista computers had shipped. So Microsoft provided reviewers and other potential influencers with preloaded Vista laptops. That was very sensible and not the least bit underhanded.
Windows 7's situation today is similar, and Microsoft's objective is no different than it was with Vista: to garner influence. When the company handed out the laptops on Sunday, Windows 7 wasn't publicly available in any form. The laptops gave bloggers an opportunity to test the system and more authoritatively write about it when Microsoft debuted the operating system two days later. There is mutual benefit: clicks for the bloggers and other reviewers, and more authoritative Windows 7 coverage for Microsoft.
It's unprecedented for Microsoft to hand out hardware and software to so many reviewers and bloggers this early in a Windows version's development cycle. Clearly, Microsoft wants to get a positive message out about Vista's successor. More importantly, the move shows the Windows team's confidence in 7's reliability, stability and usability.
I could be more critical, because of conflicting objectives: Microsoft peddles influence, whereas I seek to present the most factual information—and that might not be favorable to the company. With no offense intended, I would consider some of the bloggers receiving Windows 7 laptops as being decidedly pro-Microsoft. They're fanboys. By handpicking people more likely to write positively, Microsoft seeks to gain positive influence.
I don't like the influence peddling, but it's not bribery. Besides, Microsoft deserves a break with 7. The Vista laptop bribery ruckus got the operating system off to a bad start. In early 2007, rather than a mass of bloggers writing about their experiences using Vista, many instead distanced themselves from the loaner program. The laptops and not Vista became the story.
The conflict of interest wasn't Microsoft's but bloggers who used the loaner program to raise their stature and increase clicks. It really pissed me off. Some bloggers made a big deal of auctioning off their laptops to charity, which was influence-peddling for themselves. Otherwise, why not return the loaner or quietly auction it?
A year later, I assessed the bias started by the blogger bribery fiasco in another post, "Defending Windows Vista." I wrote: "Vista-slapping is the 'new thing.' It's chic. Whacking Vista is a surefire way to show your intelligence, that you're with it." The Vista whacking started with bloggers that received loaner laptops and then attacked Microsoft.
Yes, Vista had problems out of the gate: too many versions, too much application incompatibility and too-hefty hardware requirements. Who could ignore those annoying User Account Control prompts? But the amount of negative buzz far exceeded Vista's problems, with the blogosphere and news media setting perceptions that helped drive the operating system to ruin. As I blogged on Oct. 26, Windows Vista no longer matters. But that shouldn't be the situation.
Lessons Learned and Applied
Microsoft is managing early Windows 7 perceptions surprisingly well, and this newer laptop loaner program is excellent example. Rather than send out a bunch of computers, Microsoft invited analysts, bloggers and reviewers to attend a closed workshop on Windows 7. On that foundation, and with willful participation, some attendees received the laptops, including my eWEEK Labs colleague Jason Brooks.
Microsoft executives clearly have learned important lessons from the Vista laptop loaner fiasco: Windows 7 needed a positive start. Early blogs, reviews and news stories would set perceptions that would follow Windows 7 through its entire life cycle. The reviewers day, laptop loaner program and Oct. 28 keynote would set the tone for Windows 7 perception. Given Windows Vista's huge perception problems, Microsoft executives must have been quite anxious about what those early reviews would say and how Tuesday's keynote would be received.
On Tuesday afternoon, I met with Debbie Fry Wilson, senior director of Windows Product Management. Debbie is new to the role, which is in part responsible for Windows messaging. She was quick to ask me what I thought about 7's messaging. Say, who was interviewing whom? :) But she was right to wonder. Microsoft has lived with the specter of negative Vista perceptions for nearly two years. Would that ghost haunt 7 (yeah, yeah, enough with the Halloween metaphors)?
I asked Debbie to pass along a message to Steven Sinofsky, senior vice president of Windows and Windows Live Engineering Group: He gave a commendable keynote. I think of Steven as a geek's geek, which stereotypically makes him about as interesting a speaker as a block of wood. However, he gave a clear, concise and well-spoken keynote. Steven got across the Windows 7 message, and surprisingly well, considering the diverse audiences. While he may have been addressing developers, his real audience was much bigger given that Windows 7 was being shown off publicly for the first time.
During our 30 minutes together, Debbie and I discussed some of Microsoft's other Windows 7 messaging efforts. "It's all Steven," she said of the Engineering Windows 7 blog. She conveyed his passion for the product, which even I can feel through the somewhat dry writing (sorry, Steven, you're a better speaker). The E7 blog and new Windows 7 Team Blog are the beginnings of a broader perception-setting effort. Because of Vista, the Windows perception-messaging team has a tough job ahead. But this week's Windows 7 keynote and laptop loaner program started the process in a positive way.
That said, that team and I won't ever love one another. I tend to be critical in my analysis. It's a cultural thing. I grew up in no-bullshit Northern Maine. Critically objective isn't what Microsoft wants. The company wants positive. Nobody offered me a loaner laptop or Windows 7 prebriefing, nor was I offered interviews with Steven or Mike Nash, vice president for Windows Product Management, at PDC. Microsoft touts those bloggers with positive things to say about Windows 7, and it's no surprise that most—maybe all—got loaner laptops and many fall into what I would call the pro-Microsoft camp.
But that's OK. Microsoft deserves the break with 7 it couldn't get with Vista. I'm glad for the company that early bloggers and reviews reacted positively to Windows 7. But whether or not Microsoft can maintain positive perceptions will depend more on execution than influence.
[Please send your tips or rumors to watchtips at live.com]
Comments (56)
The big problem with the "laptop loaning," as you described it, was it wasn't a loan, but a gift. It only became "laptop loaning," after a stink was raised about it.
Now, the reason behind the stink is how can you fairly rate the product, knowing that next time, if you are too honest, there might not be a free laptop for you? Even with this "loan," chances are few will ever be returned to Microsoft.
Enjoy your free laptop Joe.
Posted by chips b malroy | October 31, 2008 2:34 PM
chips, you didn't get yours?
They'll come and take mine away from what I wrote about it all...
Yes, sir -- I'ze a dead man.
Posted by Klint Eestwud | October 31, 2008 2:42 PM
Joe,
I believe you meant "bribes" not "brides" in "calling the laptops brides."
That's what happens when you don't have a copy editor.
--rj
P.S.: Unfortunately, MSFT didn't send me a laptop.
Posted by Roger Jennings | October 31, 2008 3:18 PM
Turn in your badge, MS Shill. You can keep your free laptop, but remember, nobody in their right mind will believe you anymore when you write about how great MSFT products are. Bought and paid for, indeed, you are. Tainted.
Nobody write a long drawn out post like that "defending the practice," unless he has already received the free laptop. In your case, this site being one of the major sites to review MSFT products, its most likely "free laptops."
Posted by The Hand | October 31, 2008 4:14 PM
The Hand wrote: "Turn in your badge, MS Shill. You can keep your free laptop."
What? The imaginary laptop? I surely didn't get one. But I disagree that it taints those people who did. It's not the giving that's the problem but who got them.
Joe
Posted by Joe | October 31, 2008 4:18 PM
Most bloggers who got the laptop probably could afford their own laptop. If they are high profile bloggers (I am sure MSFT did a little research in to who to invite) they probably have their own anyways. Otherwise how do you report at events?
I doubt anyone who recieved it is having the moral argument hmm if I don't kiss some butt here I may not get one next time. For all of them they probably thought it was a nice gesture and the level of persausion ends there. But the value of their prescence and reputation at least in their minds far out weighs the value of yet another laptop.
It is no big deal. For once I agree with you. Grin.
Posted by Josh | October 31, 2008 4:24 PM
Joe says: "No offense intended, I would consider some of the bloggers receiving Windows 7 laptops as being decidedly pro-Microsoft. They're fanboys. By handpicking people more likely to write positively, Microsoft seeks to gain positive influence.".....
Still you got invited to PDC2003 & 2008. You seem to want to write on both sides of this issue Joe. Is there some sort of inner turmoil at work here with your consense? Who? George Oui, Ed Bott, Thurott, even Mary Jo Folley come to mind right away, and your name, not far down the list.
Posted by sameul l bronowitzh | October 31, 2008 4:36 PM
"Because it's no big deal now and shouldn't have been one nearly two years ago".
The problem is that this people who received the notebooks, went out trumpeting the MS' wonders after that (although the product was rubbish- e.i; Vista) scamming to those who are seeking an impartial opinion/reviews, denying any link with MS
and fighting everyone who disagree with them.
Herr... Am I wrong? just read to Andre & Co, then you could deny or accept my words.
Posted by Marco | October 31, 2008 4:40 PM
Joe, the Softies and their partners, have all come out of the woodwork like worms, to defend you. (Josh and Roger) MS to the rescue.
Myself, if I was important like you, I would have accepted the laptop, and been honest about it. I would have just said "I want the laptop and if anything, it will encourage me to write even more negatively about MS." Buts thats just me, I like free, free laptops, free software, free Linux. At least with Free Linux their are no strings attached.
Furthermore, those laptops last go around were top of the line machines, valued at about $3500 then. Not a small amount like one of the Softies claimed, but who expects truth from them anymore.
Posted by chips b malroy | October 31, 2008 4:48 PM
"Turn in your badge, MS Shill. You can keep your free laptop"
"What? The imaginary laptop?"
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I want believe you (furthermore you implicitly are recognizing the loss of credibility that you could be exposing yourself)
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I think it is only a bad article meanwhile it would not be:
"Is there some sort of inner turmoil at work here with your conscience?"
Posted by Marco | October 31, 2008 5:20 PM
Quoting Joe here:
"When the company handed out the laptops on Sunday, Windows 7 wasn't publicly available in any form. The laptops gave bloggers opportunity to test the system and more authoritatively write about it when Microsoft debuted the operating system two days later."
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This can only mean that the laptops were given away at PDC 2008. Notice that Joe says to "bloggers." I do believe, that one, you were at PDC 2008, and two, you are a blogger. And if you did not get one of these, fancy new laptops, how do you intend to blog about the features and problems of Windows Seven Joe?
Another question, does your employer eWeek know about the free laptops, offered or imaginary, and do they condone this type of behavior?
Posted by chips b malroy | October 31, 2008 5:20 PM
If I hand in my 256 MB Ram laptop with 600 Mhz and 10 gig hard drive. Will Microsoft install Windows 7 for me?
And since "Windows is BETTER than Linux"...it should run like a charm...right????
Posted by Ralph | October 31, 2008 5:25 PM
Joe, I installed Windows 7 pre-beta on my personal hardware because I wanted make sure this was not a fluke. Its the closest I have gotten to real world testing the OS with my existing setup. The reviewers laptop also gave a certain idea of some of the type of hardware that Windows 7 can run on and run on great. For instance, the Demo PC given to attendees at the reviewers workshop is a L7100 running 1.2 GHz Core 2 Duo with 2 GBs of RAM with a solid state drive. That's showing what hardware supports and gives a perspective on the OS taking advantage of the latest hardware technologies. My preview was mostly geared toward the person buying Windows 7 off the shelf. Joe, why would you need a review PC anyway? Were you not an attendee at the conference? Meaning you have access to the same Windows 7 bits.
Marco, I am going to ask you kindly to stop insinuating things about me. Windows Vista is a great OS and I wrote that in my review without the Reviewers notebook. I have been testing and using Vista since Beta 1. I tested it and reviewed it on my own personal systems (Dell Dimension 8300, generic system AMD Sempron 1.6 GHz). Yes, the reviewers laptop was also another system. My ActiveWin review was done before I received that laptop to review with Windows Vista 64 bit. Check the dates.
Another thing, Joe, I am not pro or anti Microsoft. I happen to think they are great Company that develops awesome products I have a passion for.
Posted by Andre Da Costa | October 31, 2008 6:02 PM
To chips and other readers, I think that Joe, for his career and behaviour (so far) deserves the right that us could believe to him.
To Joe; you should have prudence,remember the power(this case M$) seduces and corrupts.
Posted by Marco | October 31, 2008 6:09 PM
Ok, I had my fun with Joe and the free laptops. Do I think Joe took the free Laptops? I don't know, maybe, maybe not. I do agree that on occasion, Joe does say something critical of Microsoft, to his credit, but then so does Mary Jo. Bet she got one. As far as most of the others over at ZDNet, they might as well be on the MS payroll. Also, I did notice Joe referred to Azure as "vaporware," in the last few posts. But maybe that was to convince us that he is so unbiased, before he wrote this one. In fact, mostly Joe has (before the vaporware articles) has been a big fan of the "richness" of MS products.
Where I think you went very wrong in your article here, was trying to come down on both sides of the moral argument here, its clearly wrong to bribe, and to accept bribes (which I would have done), and far more wrong to accept the bribe (laptop) and then say you did not. But to be on both sides of the issue, says something about you, that is problematic. Maybe, its something you have done, maybe its a problem that you would not like to think about your colleagues in the reporting business. Lately some of your other posts seem to have this same type of "on one hand, but on the other hand" type of approach. Some things are clearly morally right or wrong.
Posted by chips b malroy | October 31, 2008 6:13 PM
Re: "I defended the practice in post: 'Microsoft's Laptop Giveaway is About Influence, Not Bribery.'"
I wonder if the laptop loaner will help Windows 7 perception every bit as much as it helped Vista perception.
Posted by Philosopher | October 31, 2008 6:27 PM
Andrew Da LA la Coaster says:
"Yes, the reviewers laptop was also another system. My ActiveWin review was done before I received that laptop to review with Windows Vista 64 bit. Check the dates."
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Well then, at least he admits to receiving the free laptop as a reward for favorable testing review. So Marco got it right.
Andrew, have you ever thought about writing comedy for a living, you would be a natural. Also there was another MS astroturfer around here that wrote bad scifi, who could most likely help you there.
Posted by The Hand | October 31, 2008 6:27 PM
Hello IRS? For US bloggers are you declaring that laptop on your 2007 tax return?
Posted by IRS | October 31, 2008 7:01 PM
Microsoft confirms PDC attendees to get pre-beta Windows 7 build
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1607
Quote Mary Jo: "Microsoft does make it clear that the code that users will be getting is “pre-beta.” (I’m still hearing Win 7 Beta 1 is due in December 2008 and the final Win7 ship target is some time in the latter half of 2009.) So I guess that’s one of the sets of bits that will be on the 160 GB external hard drive that Microsoft is providing to PDC attendees."
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Now this was before the PDC, and Mary Jo makes it clear everyone attending will be given what? So Joe, you did not come away empty handed did you?
Posted by chips b malroy | October 31, 2008 7:13 PM
Windows Seven is ready now, after having read Andre's review, I wondered how I struggled so long with Vista. Release Windows Seven now, I say.
After all, all Microsoft is ALPHA at best, and like previous releases, Windows Seven passes the 95% (100% for Vista) test in that it boots up. If it boots up, Microsoft can fix it later, its ready for market now.
Posted by Carl | October 31, 2008 7:29 PM
@Marco:
Don't pay any attention to Andre. As far as his activewin review piece, besides telling everyone how bad Vista is, it is just basically grovelling to his bosses at MS. In fact, the owner of Activewin, is Robert (Bob) Stein who is an Microsoft Windows Server MVP
you can check out near the bottom of the list:
http://www.mvps.org/links.html
Just more evidence that Andre is owned by Micro$oft.
Posted by chips b malroy | October 31, 2008 8:26 PM
Chips, The Hand, Marco and whoever here that assumes that I am somehow 'tainted' are just warped by Open Source Propaganda or just members of the church of Richard Stallman. Why can't you people just understand that I am not who you are assuming? Why don't you stop behaving like 15 year olds in the school yard?
I think a lot of what is being said here goes back to plain heartburn because you realize that investment and watching the Open Source movement was a boring, heartburn mistake. Its a platform that is just for the hobbyist who have nothing better today. The Windows Azure cloud OS will transform how developers build applications in the next 5 to 10 years. Platforms and services like Live Mesh will make your personal data glide across again platform, form factor or device.
Microsoft is building complete flexibility into their next generation technologies, when you look at Office 14 which will make users of the suite have that rich access to existing functionality through the Internet, its game over for Google and Zoho. Microsoft is transforming and improving our computing experiences for the better.
I never said anything bad about Vista in my review, I said how Windows Vista sets the foundation for a lot of the innovation we now see in Windows 7. I did note that coordination for Windows Vista's initial release to market was not done well. That's different from saying the software was bad.
Everyone who has said something negative about me, Microsoft are coming across irrational and have a locked off mind that I don't think could make smart decisions about how a Company or an individual deploys or invests in the right platform.
Posted by Andre Da Costa | October 31, 2008 8:49 PM
Andre Da Costa says:
"I never said anything bad about Vista in my review"
But in his review he says:
"Consumer reception of the operating system released world-wide in January of 2007 was one of hesitance, let’s wait and see, and for those who adopted early, unforgiving. A lot of things with Windows Vista were not coordinated well, from communication, its system requirements, Industry Partnership and what value does it really offer to a Windows XP user which has dominated the market for nearly 7 years. The Company’s (OEMs) who were supposed to represent Windows Vista on their systems did so poorly initially. A lot of debate has started over this, which includes Microsoft’s alleged deal with Intel to support a particular integrated graphics chipset, the Windows Vista Capable branding and the perception that Vista was never ready out the gate. Second, Microsoft never gave clear understanding of what it really takes to run the OS acceptably. The coordination was pretty much a disaster in the early months of its release."....................
You never going make MVP that way Andrew
Posted by The Hand | October 31, 2008 9:01 PM
Microsoft has now stopped talking about, or promoting Vista. Everything is now Windows Seven. And as I predicted, even Andre is now starting to bad mouth Windows Vista, like he did XP before that. What this means is that Windows Seven will most likely come sooner than I predicted, not later. In fact, one of the softies (Roger Jennings) has on his link, that Azure could be done in the first 3 months of 2009. Doesn't quite sound like vaporware, but most likely it will be the same krap that Microsoft always releases. But Joe's point that Azure is vaporware is a good one, as it was called Hailstorm 7 years before that. At some point though, I would think even Microsoft could bring a product to the market.
Also consider the choice of the word "pre-beta." To most of us this would mean an alpha, but not Microsoft. Why not? The first two alpha's were so the government could evaluate them to see if they failed the anti-trust agreements. Most likely this is a true Beta, and not an alpha. But one that is not for general release, while MS gets reaction from the press types. They are trying to under promise and deliver ahead of time. If they don't deliver Seven sooner than later, it will cost them even more desktop market share.
Posted by chips b malroy | October 31, 2008 9:19 PM
@chips b malroy,
You and The Hand sure know how to shine the bright light of truth and expose lies and contradictions. Thank you!!!
After considering the choice of the word "pre-beta", I realize that this word is used only by companies who have slipped from nimble innovation and growth into the grasp of self-serving bureaucrats. They don't even notice how foolish they sound.
It seems that more and more, Microsoft is undergoing a metamorphosis into a company best described as "acres of incompetence floating on a sea of money."
Google for Administratium and you'll see the structure behind many large companies past their glory days (including many/most government agencies). A good link is:
rs2.ch.liv.ac.uk/~dlc/Administratium.html
Posted by Philosopher | October 31, 2008 9:48 PM
@chips b malroy and The Hand,
On second thought, I re-read the most recent (and quoted) post by Andre Da Costa and I am not convinced that it was the real Andre Da Costa who wrote it.
In general, I find him to be glowingly pro-Microsoft, but never insulting or patronizing. And that flowery language filled with vague innuendos, dopey phrases, and consistently abysmal spelling and grammar are NOT hallmarks of the Andre I remember, but rather of another poster, He-who-is-not-worth-being-named.
Your thoughts?
@Joe,
Are your employers unable or just unwilling to properly set up a password-protected registration? It would remove the threat of hijacked names and pseudonyms. It's not difficult to do: You can tell them that many competent sites do this, even those that are run on a shoestring budget.
Posted by Philosopher | October 31, 2008 10:01 PM
@Philosopher :
"In general, I find him to be glowingly pro-Microsoft, but never insulting or patronizing."
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I think Marco will back me up on this, but I have seen just that, when logic breaks down, and he has nothing left to argue with. Sadly, because he is obviously a smart person, in many ways.
Posted by chips b malroy | October 31, 2008 10:16 PM
@philosopher
Ive wondered about the password issue. Its very simple to adopt someones elses handle and cause a little confusion and mis-representation. This ultimately will work against both pro-ms and pro-alternatives. Joe, why cant the site have password registration?
@Andre
If that post was you, what happened to your "feature rich" comments about Vista a few weeks ago? Do we really need to look back and link them?
and Linux for hobbyists? Do you want to pass that nugget on to the governments that have recently switched to it? Again, do you want a list?
Posted by Goblin | October 31, 2008 10:29 PM
Windows Vista is here today and consumers can start investing in a rich experience that Vista offers them. Managing, organizing their information and keeping it secure. Features like Search, Saved Searches, Backup, Bitlocker are here today and users can invest in the confidence that is Windows Vista so when they are ready for Windows 7 it will be a smooth upgrade experience. The Windows Live services further extends these capabilities and shows that Microsoft is taking Windows beyond the box and giving consumers continued value.
Windows Vista is on 250 million PCs to date and will continue to grow as businesses start to make aggressive migrations in the coming year. Microsoft has surpassed their 24 month target of Vista on 200 million PC's. I think consumers everywhere are seeing the exceptional value in the OS. Everyday more and more I just keep seeing Windows Vista PC's pop up, its just amazing and cool.
Posted by Andre Da Costa | October 31, 2008 10:55 PM
Hi Andre:
Sorry I was not reading your post (it is almost always the same: Microsoft , best , richness... go on) therefore I didn't respond to you.
Well:
"Marco, I am going to ask you kindly to stop insinuating things about me."
Andre, I am NOT insinuating.(I was kindly speaking clearly)
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You have a problem Andre;
'The Emperor's new Clothes' syndrome pitt.edu/~dash/type1620.html
That means you cannot see the obvious thing (what's happening to you included) you think that nobody's looking at you...but it is not so.
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Posted by Marco | October 31, 2008 11:16 PM
From Mary Jo Folley:
New signs point to Windows 7 debuting earlier than expected
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1654
Quotes from the link:
"I’m also not surprised that Microsoft is dropping hints about Windows 7 being ready sooner rather than later. As blogger Long Zheng noted, text on the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) 2008 site currently states that Windows 7 will ship before the next WinHEC is held. The exact wording:
“Be one of the first to see what’s new in Windows 7 and be among a select few to receive a pre-beta build of Windows 7. Join us as WinHEC 2008 – Register today. WinHEC is the only chance for you to engage with the team at this level – there is not another WinHEC planned before Windows 7 is released.”
The plot thickens further. When I searched the Web for “WinHEC 2009,” it looks like the next WinHEC seems to be slated for New Orleans from May 3-7, 2009 (although Microsoft potentially could postpone next year’s WinHEC to late fall, like it did this year)."
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Just a guess, but April is looking possible. Remember, this is the minor release, its mostly just bug fixes, and some new paint for the old pig Vista. It is Vista, so its not going be hard to release people. And Azure, if its not ready, parts of it can be released already. Silverlight, Net, Skydrive, etc. MS is talking now, because it will be coming sooner, not later. They have to, Mac is kicking their "RICH" butts.
Posted by chips b malroy | October 31, 2008 11:16 PM
To philosopher: Chips;"I have seen just that, when logic breaks down, and he has nothing left to argue with"
A simple example, there are more...
Andre Da Costa :"Acer Ferrari 5000 I received in January of 2007 "
Answer:laughingsquid.com/microsoft-sent-a-free-laptop-with-windows-vista/
Quote:Microsoft Sent An Acer Ferrari Laptop With Windows Vista: Scott Beale on Tuesday, December 26th, 2006
"I’m not sure how I was selected to be one of the people receiving this (I’m assuming there are others, but I haven’t come across any yet)"
"So, today the laptop arrived (here are some photos) and it wasn’t just some generic laptop, but a really cool, supercompact Acer Ferrari 1000 12.1” notebook, with an 1.80GHz AMD Turion 64×2 with 1GB of DDR2 RAM and a SATA 160GB hard drive."
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Very interesting, aparently it's very difficult for MS find out true defenders.
Andre Da Costa :
Marco, you are nothing but a lousy jealous bastard who does not have a life. Go to hell and stop linking to that crap. What is wrong with you???
It was a review unit delivered to a group of 90 bloggers on behalf of "AMD", "ACER INC" and MICROSOFT. Post it again and you will prove my point that you are a Dumb A$$
Linus Torvald receives money from IBM, Novell, and many other Corporations for his work on Linux. Why aren't you linking to that? Huh? Stupid Marco!
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you could get a lot of conclusions here.
Posted by Marco | October 31, 2008 11:19 PM
@Marco:
"Answer:laughingsquid.com/microsoft-sent-a-free-laptop-with-windows-vista/
Quote:Microsoft Sent An Acer Ferrari Laptop With Windows Vista"
----------------------------------------------------
Yep, that sure sounds like the smoking gun of the Shilldomeness test to me. If there was ever a doubt about Andre's motives, let it rest with the "richess" of complete thought clarity now. What else does one need, to look for his MS Windows tatoo?
Posted by chips b malroy | October 31, 2008 11:58 PM
Did they hand out any netbooks?
That's all I wanted to know...
Posted by Lawrence D'Oliveiro | November 1, 2008 2:03 AM
Does Apple also provide free laptops to bloggers?
Posted by Ralph | November 1, 2008 8:05 AM
I get what he's saying here:
this time the free laptops were opt-in rather than opt-out. No one was surprised by a gift from Microsoft in the mail.
p.s.: yes Apple does sent review units, but very few
Posted by fred | November 1, 2008 9:25 AM
@Andre,
"Chips, The Hand, Marco and whoever here that assumes that I am somehow 'tainted' are just warped by Open Source Propaganda or just members of the church of Richard Stallman."
I guess you mean me too in that line. But please let me correct you on something. We don't assume you are 'tainted' we infer it.
If we 'assumed' you were tainted we wouldn't even bother reading your post. We'd just trash talk them like you do or jay does. Yet we take our time to respond to your comments with well though out points based on our real world experience. These replies are not usually responded to by you.
The one case I clearly remember now when you did respond was to the Automator challenge. Which you replied to with a nonfunctional solution based on a macro recording.
On top of that you seem to mistake Linux with the open source movement. Let me quote you,
"I think a lot of what is being said here goes back to plain heartburn because you realize that investment and watching the Open Source movement was a boring, heartburn mistake. Its a platform that is just for the hobbyist who have nothing better today."
You seem to define the open source movement as a platform. When it is more of a collaboration and development paradigm than anything else. There are open source project that are just simple tools, not platforms. Others are frameworks and even others are programming languages. Then there is Linux, but there is also BSD and I believe these are the ones you refer to as "a platform that is just for the hobbyist who have nothing better today".
Yet this hobbyist's OS has more GUIs and window managers than you thought it did when you made a negative comment about it. Thus I got another bit of information to 'infer' and not simply 'assume' you are uneducated on topics outside Microsoft and Windows.
From this simple observation based on quite a few posts from you we can thus conclude you are biased. I can not conclude if you are intentionally or unintentionally biased, but you are by definition biased. How can you not be when your exposure to alternative platforms, languages, tools and development paradigms is so limited. How can you possibly make us believe you give a well rounded opinion when you're so limited to the Windows platform. And even then, as was the case with the Automator reply, you fail.
How in the world could you have come up with a response to use a VB Macro or record it? Did you even care to test it yourself before posting? It was refuted within the hour and left you exposed not only as a person who is uneducated on non-Windows platforms, but one who is also uneducated on the Windows platform. It clearly shows us that you are inexperienced beyond the simple acts of installing Windows, doing searches, moving images, listening to audio and maybe writing a letter or two.
Once again please understand we are not 'assuming' this we are 'inferring' it from your comments and replies. Do consider too that some of the people here have many long years of computer science and computer engineering experience and are not so easily captivated by the marketing brochures.
Our job is to build systems and solutions based on design constraints not marketing brochures. To us moving from XP to Vista raises issues not limited to one of our favorite games not working. And I don't see any reason not to include open source tools on closed source platforms like Windows. Or vice versa.
So as a closing bit of advice I'd recommend you go out and get some real world experience. First on the platform you're so enthusiastic about, Windows. Then open your mind and get some real world experience on open source solutions. I don't mean just play with Linux, get some open source stuff on Windows too. Then maybe you'll be able to achieve a more balanced and unbiased opinion. Understand why people opt for Open Office when MS Office is so clearly better. Why I have SQL Server 2008 installed side by side to MySQL 5.1 and Oracle 10g. In the meantime you are and will remain biased.
Posted by Gerardo Tasistro | November 1, 2008 10:39 AM
Quote Andre da Costa:
"Windows Vista is here today and consumers can start investing in a rich experience that Vista offers them. Managing, organizing their information and keeping it secure."
LOL, that statement couldnt be more incorrect or badly timed. Seen the news? Theres a few hundred thousand internet users who have had their debit/credit card numbers taken by criminals because of this security you are talking about.
Oh and Andre how about commenting how the BBC is now looking into opensource? Its on their own blog. Maybe you should inform them of the rich experiences?
Andre, you are the best! and thank you for enabling me to throw those two pieces of news into this thread.
Posted by Goblin | November 1, 2008 10:42 AM
sameul l bronowitzh wrote: "Still you got invited to PDC2003 & 2008. You seem to want to write on both sides of this issue Joe. Is there some sort of inner turmoil at work here."
I attended PDC 2005, too. I don't think Microsoft was all that selective about which tech journalists or bloggers attended.
Joe
Posted by Joe | November 1, 2008 1:40 PM
chips b malroy wrote: "Ok, I had my fun with Joe and the free laptops. Do I think Joe took the free Laptops? I don't know."
Hi, Chips,
I didn't take one of these loaner laptops. Like other PDC attendees, I did receive Windows 7 Pre-Beta code. But I did ask if I could play with one of the preloaded laptops for a couple hours. Much can be learned from what systems Microsoft chooses. There was no response to the request. I would have disclosed receiving a Microsoft laptop last week or during the previous loaner program. I did not.
Joe
Posted by Joe | November 1, 2008 1:46 PM
Lawrence D'Oliveiro wrote: "Did they hand out any netbooks?
That's all I wanted to know."
Not that I saw, Lawrence. Looks to me like Microsoft handed lighter Dell and ThinkPad laptops. I don't know what processors, although I heard someone in the press talk about AMD participating in the program.
Joe
Posted by Joe | November 1, 2008 1:50 PM
Joe says: "I did receive Windows 7 Pre-Beta code." but no lappie.
----------------------------------------------------
OK. So Micro$oft seems to be playing favorites, and handing out the toys to the real fanboi's like Bott and Oui.
This is not a totally bad thing. As you get to try to install that Seven on computers as well. Installation is what a lot users and corporations will go through the same process, and your review could be helpful to them as well with dealing with installation problems, or smoothness.
The biggest question I have, is not how Seven will compare to Vista, (but with XP) it is Vista R2, so I expect some, or at least, a little bit, of improvement there. So why bother to compare it with Vista? Vista is not the system most users are using. XP is, and for all the touted speed increases of Seven over Vista, I doubt it compares well with XP, or the competition, Linux and Mac.
Posted by chips b malroy | November 1, 2008 2:17 PM
@Goblin quoting Andre:
That's the real Andre we all know and love!
Posted by Dave Lindhout | November 1, 2008 5:02 PM
Dave Lindhout :
@Goblin quoting Andre:
That's the real Andre we all know and love!
------------------------------------------------------
Dave,
your link did not work for me, but a google search turned out that you are ok and post on Apple Watch. While I am not a MacHead, from the google links, I did notice that our boy Andre has been bad over on Apple Watch, and has run amonk. Seems he needs a little refresher course in Windows Malware 101 and other things. We will try to help you over there as well, even thought some of us here are linux users. I just can't stand the dishonestly of some of these MS Shills like Andre.
Posted by chips b malroy | November 2, 2008 12:30 AM
If Mac is so great, if Linux is so great, why can't it go past 20 million and 1% market share since 1992? Because people realize that Windows Vista is a better choice, it works, they get to do all the amazing things OS X promotes and more. A lot of what is said by the Open Source propaganda is just that. None of you who hate Vista use it. You just look few early glitches in its release along with Justin Long and try to force fud on people. But people are seeing the benefits, their friends are using Vista and they are excited. The hundreds of happy friends and family I see using it just proves that 250 million users around the world are having fun.
The 4x high return rate of Linux NetBooks shows that users are interested in only one OS, its called Windows. Microsoft has beaten their estimates of having Vista on 200 million PCs in 24 months, imagine by the time Windows reaches us, at least an addition 150 million or more. Because people see the rich powerful benefits of Vista, Search, Organization, Security, Communication and Collaboration and the tight integration through seamless services like Windows Live.
I know all of you here are secretly running Vista. Don't be afraid to admit it. I am here to tell people the truth. Windows is not number 1 because its supported by everyone OEM, because it offers significant value to businesses and consumers. Just accept it.
Posted by Andre Da Costa | November 2, 2008 3:47 PM
Andrew, in the same comment above you said:
"None of you who hate Vista use it"
then two paragraths later you said:
"I know all of you here are secretly running Vista. Don't be afraid to admit it."...........
So which is it? Are we using or not? Make up your mind. You seem a little off your game, toys in the attic, truly gone fishing, in need of help.
But the best line, that you used, was (most likely typed from your Mac):
"I am here to tell people the truth."............
Now that one, I bet even Joe is ROTFL
You need help my friend, go to church or see a doctor.
Posted by The Hand | November 2, 2008 4:51 PM
Andre Da Costa :wrote
"If Mac is so great, if Linux is so great, why can't it go past 20 million and 1% market share since 1992?"
--------------------------------------------------
Mac is 10.6 % according to a recent report and Linux is 4 % according Gartner. Regarding Linux and that "20 million" number, Eight million alone now use Ubuntu and that number is rapidly rising fast.
Guess you didn't see that all of Russia is going to open source in all regions, joining other countries, regions, government entities and the military with open source mandates. Microsoft is in trouble and no amount of astroturfing, hype and vaporware promises, or service packs is going to help them.
Ubuntu and other Linux distributions have newest and most up to date features. Vista was five years in development and out for two years thus making it a seven year old OS.
Get with the times...
Posted by Ralph | November 2, 2008 5:53 PM
The Hand:
Interesting, you are assuming software with the devil and to cure it I must be exorcised by a Doctor. I think someone has been indoctrinated by the great wizard of odd called Richard Stallman. :)
Ralph:
They try Linux, then they come back. BTW, you can't even get a good statistical figure of Linux since its an unstable user base. Too many distributions, too little productivity. People try things, they try and try until they stumble across a stable, progressive platform called Windows.
Posted by Andre Da Costa | November 2, 2008 6:58 PM
The Hand:
Interesting, you are assuming software with the devil and to cure it I must be exorcised by a Doctor. I think someone has been indoctrinated by the great wizard of odd called Richard Stallman. :)
Ralph:
They try Linux, then they come back. BTW, you can't even get a good statistical figure of Linux since its an unstable user base. Too many distributions, too little productivity. People try things, they try and try until they stumble across a stable, progressive platform called Windows.
Posted by Andre Da Costa | November 2, 2008 6:59 PM
Andre, the Vista fiasco clearly shows us people really don't care about Windows they care about their apps and their hardware. If Windows were the key player everyone would be pleased to have Vista even though their printer and old apps didn't work. They wouldn't be too productive, but they'd sure be happy.
So please don't fool yourself when you say people prefer Windows on their netbooks. They prefer their apps on their netbooks and it requires Windows for them to run. But those machines can't handle Vista so they have XP. Thus once again the OS is not really relevant only the support of said OS for some particular set of applications.
The key mistake you make here is to equate Linux with Open Source. That is a major mistake as Open Source is much more than just one OS. So much so that the only Microsoft product on those netbooks could be Windows and everything else from image tools to office tools could be open source.
Let me put it in simple English. Open Source products don't require Linux. I can easily install open source tools on a Windows machine. From html editors to make my favorite page, image tools, word processors, development tools, databases, video players, web browsers etc etc etc.
So while you complain here about a so called 1% Linux penetration you fail to address a bigger threat. The growing acceptance of open source tools on Windows platforms. Take for example Open Office 3.0.
www.pcworld.com/ article/152768/ openoffice_open_source.html?tk=rss_news
"OpenOffice.org 3.0 was downloaded 3 million times in its first week, with about 80% of the downloads by Windows users, an official with the group said in a blog post last week."
Now lets take a look at the Vista objectives you mention. 200 Million in 24 months would be 2 years right? or 102 weeks right? So that is 1.96 Million a week. To me 3.0 Million is bigger than 1.96 Million. The way I see it Open Office adoption is growing faster than Vista adoption. Even if I multiply by 0.8 (80% Windows users) Open Office (Windows edition) still has 2.4 Million downloads the first week. Now you may claim a boom in the first week which would not maintain itself over time and you would be right. More recent up to date download stats can be seen here:
openoffice.bouncer.osuosl.org /logstats/
If we add up the downloads for the Windows binary of all Open Office versions from Saturday Oct 25 to Friday Oct 31 we get 2.15 Million downloads (openoffice.bouncer.osuosl.org/logstats /20081025/win-alllangs.txt to openoffice.bouncer.osuosl.org/logstats /20081031/win-alllangs.txt) . This is only for Windows and doesn't show us how many times a downloaded file might have been installed to other PCs after that. So the estimate of PCs with Open Office is very well larger than this.
As you can clearly see the threat of Open Source is bigger than you portray it with the so called 1% Linux usage. Because open source tools don't need Linux to run. I can install Cygwin on my Vista machine and have a full fledged Linux command line too. With Qt 4 we can now run KDE (the *nix desktop environment) on Windows too. The list goes on and on and on. All these open source tools, apps and environments run on Windows which has a major and I mean major market penetration.
As more KDE apps are built with the newer Qt4 libs they will also run on Windows under KDE 4. I already told you about Cygwin so having all the GNU tools from Linux run on Windows is a no brainer. So Windows is just becoming a kernel. Something that comes with your new laptop and can be upgraded to KDE 4 and open source.
So please explain to me why should we trouble ourselves with pushing Linux? Why worry with a 1% Linux market share (according to you) when Windows as it stands is perfectly capable of running all the nice tools Linux has to offer and it comes preinstalled.
Posted by Gerardo Tasistro | November 2, 2008 7:11 PM
You said: "More importantly, the move shows the Windows team's confidence in 7's reliability, stability and usability."
One of the biggest headaches with Windows is the pain of re-installing the OS after the inevitable crash. Without reinstalling, what is the point in reviewing Windows 7?
Posted by jkrise | November 2, 2008 10:37 PM
You said: "More importantly, the move shows the Windows team's confidence in 7's reliability, stability and usability."
One of the biggest headaches with Windows is the pain of re-installing the OS after the inevitable crash. Without reinstalling, what is the point in reviewing Windows 7?
Posted by jkrise | November 2, 2008 10:41 PM
@Andre: 1 percent; Where did that result come from? Is it for servers, desktops, which architecture?
According to Steve Ballmer it's a heck of a lot higher than that (60% Linux, 40% windows); personally I think he's fudging on the windows server numbers.
@Joe: A dvd with vista7 beta is influence, a fully equipped laptop is paid influence (bribery)
Posted by xISO_ZWT | November 3, 2008 6:31 AM
If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck, no matter how you try and justify the "loan".
You may not have gotten a laptop last time or maybe even now, but greasing the skids for next time doesn't make you any less of a brown noser.
Posted by pwostor | November 4, 2008 5:20 AM
If the laptop was loaned so the journalists can get a first hand look and they returned it after their article was written I have no problem.
Tech journalists should be able to install afterwards the OS on their own test machines.
This open loan (wink-wink) is a bribe.
Plain and simple.
We have strict policies for our sales and marketing staff on what they can give and receive and this wouldnt pass the test.
A loan has to be properly applied with time limits and all because it goes very quickly from 'we want them to see how it works on a tested/tweaked machine' to 'here is a gift, now go write about how great it is.'
The thing with bribery is that it is almost never punished but its the impression that it makes that is most damaging.
After all, most americans consider lobbying as to politicians being bought by special interest.
You may not think you are not being swayed when you get 75,000$ to talk in front of some board but the citizen sees that money not as pay for that 45 mins performance but as an indirect way of funneling money in return of later favors.
Whether it is true or not is of no importance.
Whether you receive one or not is also of no importance.
How is a pre-beta different from an Alpha?
Posted by zeke123 | November 4, 2008 11:52 AM
There's another possible reason for at least some of those netbook returns. I bought an ASUS Eee 900A at Best Buy in November, took it home, fired it up... and the Xandros Linux it came preinstalled with promptly downloaded enough upgrades to totally fill the 4 GB SSD it came with and render it useless.
You see, Xandros was set up to use UnionFS, so it will have two copies (and for a while, three) of any app that you upgrade. On one hand, it does make it easy to reset the computer to its initial state--on the other hand, unless you have a lot of room, you'll run out of space quickly.
I was lucky; I knew enough to go look on the web for a better distro to replace Xandros with. I did that, and the Eee 900A was just fine, leaving me over half a gigabyte free even after upgrading and installing an additional package or so.
The average Joe, OTOH, who has this happen to him, or worse yet, to his child or grandchild who is delighted at getting his or her own computer until it immediately renders itself unusable, will stomp back to Best Buy and demand a refund, probably get upsold to a bigger netbook or laptop running Windows, and blame Linux for ASUS's actions.
Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if ASUS and/or Best Buy did this on purpose to make Linux look bad while being able to say "Look, we gave it a chance, but people didn't like it."
Posted by James | July 2, 2009 2:05 PM