"[H]omer" wrote:
> As promised:
>
> http://slated.org/bbc_microsoft_bias
Interesting post, Homer, especially this quote:
| I think you can see there is an obvious conflict of
| interests here, and it could be argued that Microsoft has
| somehow persuaded the BBC to disengage in any activities
| involving Open Source technology in favour of Microsoft
| products, by way of some clandestine deal.
Here are some interesting findings of my own:
Problem extends beyond UK. I think it part of the problem
lies in controlled news media. Even so, there are news that
are transmitted by BBC, which are not in US media. Even as
far back as 1983, I remember listening to shortwave BBC news
of skirmishes in Borneo area, x number of troops being
killed, etc. US news was silent. Years ago someone brought
up the question why on certain issues, US media response was,
"We didn't think it was news worthy."
When I see interests like Bill Gates' Philanthropist interest
purchasing newspaper companies, I then find it
understandable. Things like this should be hitting the
newspapers, radio, television, but they are not.
http://www.cnn.com search in cnn.com for "linux"
Results by date (summaries snipped):
| 1. Novel software drives '$100 laptop' (01.02.2007)
| 2. Cheap laptops for Third World schoolchildren (12.31.2006)
| 3. Vista faces Web security chameleon (12.11.2006)
| 4. The importance of leadership (10.30.2006)
| 5. The insider's guide to Web Wars 2.0 (10.24.2006)
| 6. Laptop bid to bridge digital divide (10.12.2006)
| 7. Reclusive Linux founder opens up (05.18.2006)
| 8. Browser choice benefits Web users (11.04.2005)
| 9. Your e-mails: "What's Next" for 2006 (11.04.2005)
| 10. The machine that can copy anything (06.02.2005)
Note, there are only 7 hits for Linux in 2007.
Next I do a search in cnn.com for "Indiana Linux". I get
only one hit:
| 1. Steal this song (07.07.2000)
| Tonight's the night. After months of indecision you've
| decided to offer your hand in matrimony to that special
| someone. You've purchased the ring and chosen the ideal
| spot to pop the question--the only remaining detail is
| selecting the perfect song to accompany your proposal.
| After scanning your record collection for Chad and Jeremy's
| The Ark--"Painted Dayglow Smile" is "your song"--you
| remember you loaned the record to your brother-in-law last
| week. What to do?
First advertised hit (SPONSORED RESULTS) is:
| * Get the Facts on Windows Reliability
| Download industry white papers to see how Windows compares
| to Linux.
| www.microsoft.com
Yet for example (and by certainly no means the only one):
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1844695,00.asp
| Back to School, Linux Style 08.05.05
| By Bary Alyssa Johnson
|
| Linspire Inc. and Wintergreen Systems Inc. announced this
| week that, as part of a broad one-to-one computing
| initiative, Indiana education officials have been testing
| their desktop Linspire Linux computers in pilot schools
| across the state.
| A new shipment of computers is set to roll out to pilot
| school districts this month. If the Indiana Access Program
| is successful, a total of 300,000 Linux machines could be
| deployed in the near future, according to the news release.
| Linspire offers its Linux-based OS to schools for an annual
| licensing fee of $500 (with no per-unit installation costs)
| through its Education Program, according to the program Web
| site.
What happened to Indiana Schools embracing Linux? It was not
newsworthy?
Then I searched further down on "Linux" and found:
| 40. TechWeb: Microsoft memo questions anti-Linux efforts
| (11.08.2002) Microsoft believes many of its efforts to
| market its products against Linux and open source are
| backfiring, according to a memo posted on the Internet.
I click on the hotlink and at cnn.com receive:
| 404 Error
| The page you requested cannot be found. The page you are
| looking for might have been removed, had its name changed,
| or is temporarily unavailable.
Links before and after work:
| 41. Taming network complexity (09.19.2002)
| 42. IBM to resell Red Hat's Linux software (09.17.2002)
http://www.cnn.com search within on "microsoft"
Results by date (summaries snipped):
| 1. Vegas braces for gadget frenzy (01.05.2007)
| 2. Behind the Scenes: Gadgets outshine Vegas glitter
| (01.05.2007)
| 3. Review: PS3 pricey but impressive (01.04.2007)
| 4. Studios sign off on movie downloads (01.04.2007)
| 5. Research examines toys' pain and (mental) gain
| (01.02.2007)
| 6. Novel software drives '$100 laptop' (01.02.2007)
| 7. Cheap laptops for Third World schoolchildren (12.31.2006)
| 8. The insider's guide to 2007 (12.29.2006)
| 9. The year in numbers: 2007 (12.28.2006)
| 10. Amazon.com has 'best ever' sales (12.27.2006)
First 6 hits for Microsoft are 2007 alone.
What is the most likely explanation? IMHO, there are
powerful people who own stock in proprietary solutions, who
see any such news a threat to stock prices. It's all about
money.
IMHO, it also explains some of the troll responses I see here,
"pony up the bucks", "Linux is a toy operating system with
font problems, poorly design GUI, crash problems, lacks
drivers for most peripherals, command line only interface for
patch installation, Linux is finally approaching Windows but
still has a long way to go, ad nauseum." Who is trying to kid
who?
--
HPT
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