Roy Schestowitz wrote:
> I am beginning to suspect that Google betray Linux when money is there to be
> won. They had a Linux-bashing advert in my own Linux-centric Web site:
>
> http://schestowitz.com/Weblog/archives/2005/09/16/adsense-disappointment/
Sorry Roy. The likelihood is that Microsoft wrote a big fat check
electronically to google, then purchased priority placement on all
things "linux". It makes sense from Microsoft's point of view. What
better way to goat-rope some would-be defector to Linux than to put an
ad that appears to be an "unbiased" comparison between Linux and
Windows - but is little more than Microsoft's "Formally Approved"
benchmarks and comparisons.
Keep in mind that the Microsoft EULA and other license agreements
expressly forbid the publication of any benchmarks without getting
prior written approval from Microsoft. Furthermore, court cases and
testimony indicates that Microsoft believes that ANY direct comparison
between Windows an Linux or Windows an any version of UNIX constitutes
a "Benchmark" and is therefore subject to the "prior written approval"
requirement.
The only country that has nullified this clause is Germany. Even then,
this only covers benchmarks written in German, and published from
German websites.
It's not even legal to translate it to English.
> Please!! Make it stop!
The bad news is that there is no legal way to make it stop. The United
States Constitution has some very strict rules regarding freedom of
speech, and media advertizing is particularly sensitive. The courts
have ruled that publishers can't refuse to accept advertizing that
contradicts their editorial policies unless it promotes illegal acts,
or contains information that is illegal to publish (classified secrets
of the U.S. government, for example).
Fox News has to accept paid advertizing from liberal causes and
political action committees, even though their "Fair and unbiased"
coverage is publicly acknowledged to be for he purpose of making sure
that right wing, and extreme right wing causes are being heard. Fox
was originally formed to provide a media outlet to counter the
Left-Wing bias of most of the broadcast networks and PBS.
Ironically, this provides a great deal of revenue. Opposition
advertizers often provide a substantial amount of revenue. The
advertizing is actually very effective at influencing "fence sitters".
After listening to an hour of right wing views, an ad which effectively
contradicts the facts and opinions espoused for the last hour, in less
than 60 seconds - can be a wake-up call.
If Microsoft wants to spend $1 billion/year funding Linux sites in
hopes of getting it's Linux-bashing content in front of newbie Linux
users and others "investigating" Linux for the first time, it's very
difficult to prevent them from doing so.
The good news is that it provides funding necessary to make sure that
pro-linux views have a publication channel.
> Roy
Rex
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