Microsoft sends free PCs to bloggers

[OhioChick]

03 January 2007

Microsoft has been accused of attempting to bribe influential bloggers by sending them free computers loaded with Vista.

Bloggers who acknowledged receiving the computers as part of the joint Microsoft and AMD marketing program include Mary Jo Foley, Om Malik, Michael Arrington, and Ed Bott.

In total, Microsoft and AMD gave away 90 PCs, all loaded with the highest-end version of Windows Vista, the 64-bit Ultimate edition. Most received Acer Ferrari laptops that list for between US$2,000 and $2,400 at retail stores. Others received media centre desktops made by Velocity Micro.

http://www.techworld.com/opsys/news/index.cfm?newsID=7691&pagtype=all

<snip> Jason Calacanis, founder of blog network Weblogs and an entrepreneur-in-residence at the Sequoia Capital venture capital firm, called the PC giveaways "payola" and "bribes" that respectable bloggers should refuse.

[Nomad559]

1. Old News

The people at Tech World must have taken a week off, these computers were given out last week.

http://laughingsquid.com/microsoft-sent-a-free-laptop-with-windows-vista

:)

[Richard Steele]

5. Well, as long as bribery happened over a week ago, it's all OK then. Right?

[MrPrax]

2. How is it a bribe?

Most, if not all of the bloggers, will be using Vista in a couple of years anyway? It's not like M$ is some up and coming dot.com that 'needs' exposure.

Why it would be a 'bribe' to pay for a web ad through barter? Lots of web pages have no prob giving 'shouts' to stores and companies that give them stuff for promotional purposes. Does anyone really think that effects what they write or say? It's a fancy typewriter!! (The Acer Ferrari is a very fancy typewriter *drool* -- much better than my 'W2K Certified' Toughbook :-(

Writers are like other similar 'art' -- if a drummer endorses 'Pearl' on the back of his CD, it doesn't necessarily effect his quality of his drumming, but we ARE suppose to think that he is a better drummer for using Pearl as opposed to Yamaha or Gretsch.

It would be MORE interesting if these bloggers were given an 'Atari 800 laptop' and then had to 'blog'!!


Ben Heck's Atari 800 Laptop!!!
link

I also thought it might be an interesting idea for a 'science'-based reality show like 'Junkyard Wars' to have teams racing to do 'modern' computer tasks on old old equipment.

Visually it might be boring, but it would definitely appeal to geeks!!



I didn't have Pearl -- that's why I was a crappy drummer ;-)

[superconnected]

3. The laptops have a monitary value of over $2000.

The lax-est high tech company I've worked for, forbid employees to take gifts that cost over $50. That one was microsoft. I've worked for many high tech companies. Usually it's less than $10.

Microsoft didnt' give the computers out of charity. They could have sent them to disabled kids and elderly people for that. They gave them intentionally to spread word of mouth.

I read the book _the tipping point_, while I worked at microsoft as it was a VERY highly regarded tome that microsoft provided for free. The project managers passed it around and mine gave it to me and several other employees too keep. It was about how epidemics(fashion etc.) get spread by word of mouth. But the book makes a point of insisisting there needs to be three things to spread the epidemic - mavens - people who know everyone and talk to everyone, and two other kind of people - the ones who are on the edge of the latest crazes and also invent the epidemics being one of the types. (I can't remember the third even though I read the book last summer). The computer bloggers would likely be Mavens, in the tipping point. They know everyone and spread the word. Of course microsoft would get the word to them(the mavens) by giving them their product, so they can spread it.

Ah the third type of people - the people who consume it I believe. They buy in. An example are all the people who bought xbox 360. They felt they HAD to buy into the latest craze. They are the people advertiser of temperarily highly wanted goods like fashion and high tech usually target. Remember the latest fashion and high tech are both usually worthless purchases after a very short time.

[NashVegas]

8. Perks of the Trade

In just about every profession, there are companies that give free goodies to industry leaders to try out.

In the Tipping Point, you're referring to the curve of early adopters.

It's not necessarily a bribe.

[superconnected]

10. perks of the trade, gee many politicians get investigated for getting them

and not listing them on their taxes, as well as those of us who work in corporate america could get fired for accepting one of those perks. Wonder why. I have a feeling a 2k perk isn't just smth microsoft doles out because it's a nice thing to do. They definitely had an aim. It was at the very least a publicity stunt.

If someone gives you something you usually feel incline to repay them.

All I'm saying is there's more to it. Common yes, but aslo ABSOLUTELY a form of bribery.

[NashVegas]

14. They're Bloggers, Not Pols

All of the bloggers named in the OP are tech writers, two with an emphasis on MS.

There's little difference between this set-up and someone who writes for a magazine that reviews tech stuff. What do you think happens with all that demo stuff? It doesn't go back to the manufacturers and it doesn't get put in a display case.

If the writers in question have some integrity, and they are not dependent on MS for advertising income, expect at least a semi-honest opinion. Even if they give an initial spooge, over time, their true opinion will show.

Traditional trade publications, that depend on advertiser income, are far, far worse. In many cases, their writers have no independence.

[mtnester]

4. Microsoft to Bloggers - "please help us not get hacked"

Please?

Bleh...if I could . . . if our myriad of custom designed software could RUN on Mac OS...I would purchased two dozen of them tomorrow.

I have always been a proponent of the American Way, and I believe Bill Gates has all the right in the world to get as rich as possible on something he created/invented...but when your shit starts to stink, you ought to be able to allow those in the room with ya to freely, easily and quickly leave with no harm, and only minor/minimal foul.

[formercia]

6. Even with all that horsepower

the laptops ran like a 486. :sarcasm:

Get open source UNIX. It won't have those back doors that Microsoft put in for the NSA.

[superconnected]

11. I'm a unix admin.

Get unix if you want to learn an operating system that there is no person on earth who fully knows all of, and you prefer Vi to Winword(Vi is also smth no one person knows all).

get microsoft if you're and end user who just wants to log in, go to internet, write documents and spreadsheets, and print them. In fact, get a mac if that's the case.

Disclaimer - I have never owned a mac, even though it's nice to know they run a form of bsd unix on top of their mach. I have over 800 unix servers I build, feed, clothe, nurture.

[formercia]

12. I use FreeBSD

and never use Vi. ee is a wordstar clone that comes with the OS.My machine is 10 years old and still works well under FBSD. Try that with Windows.
I agree that printing sucks unless you use a Postscript printer, which a Mac prefers. I have an IBook that I use for multimedia but it almost never sees the Internet.

The FBSD Firewall is great and most Internet chores are just as easy under FBSD.

..and for what you have to pay for Vista, you could build a brand new box and not have to pay anything for the OS.

[Desperadoe]

7. I read this over a week ago

This is not breaking news. In fact, it isn't even news.

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,2077973,00.asp

[onehandle]

9. Microsoft owes Bush so much.

Bush killed Billions of dollars of judgements and taxes that they owed.

Everyone ready for tax day? You're paying Microsoft's bills.

[redqueen]

13. Grr

I really don't like bill gates. Greed personified.

[eppur_se_muova]

15. Any possible connection to this?

Microsoft convened a small group of bloggers today at their Redmond headquarters to discuss the upcoming Mix Conference in Las Vegas. Highlights of the day included:

* The receipt of a Zune as a gift (the third I’ve received from Microsoft - I now have all three colors)
* Seeing the look on Gates’ face when he walked into the room and every single one of us had a Mac open on the desk in front of us - Niall Kennedy had also set up a makeshift wifi network using an Airport
* An hour-long anything goes Q&A session with Gates

http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/12/14/bill-gates-on-the-future-of-drm/

[Nomad559]

17. I take It

you are unaware of the fact that Microsoft owns a lot of Mac computers, It's also not that unusual to see Microsoft employees with iBooks.

The Microsoft employees use these computers to test software to run on the Macintosh computer.

A Tour of Microsoft's Mac Lab
http://davidweiss.blogspot.com/2006/04/tour-of-microsofts-mac-lab.html

:)

[eppur_se_muova]

18. "Some" vs "all of us" is the crucial distinction. nt

[silverojo]

16. Some bribe

Every "new and improved" version of Windows is a disaster, and Vista will be no exception. M$ might as well be bribing these people with Monopoly money, that's how worthless M$ crap is.