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Apple calls in tame journalists
,----[ uote ]
| THE SULTANS OF SMUG at Apple have been showing just how much clout they have
| among tech journalists by asking their mates to run glowing reviews of the 3G
| Iphone.
|
| While we don't begrudge Apple trying it on, we are quite frankly stunned at
| the ability of the American tech press to roll over when bribed by a gadget
| sent to them by someone that they want to be their chum.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/07/10/apple-calls-tame-journalists
Free software doesn't need handouts for positive reviews and marketing.
It all boils down perception and abuse or reviewers' integrity.
Microsoft does this a lot. More recently, when the Inquirer wrote a bad review
of Vista, Microsoft contacted them and offered freebies. ITWire had its arm
twisted for criticising OOXML and Microsoft said that a better articles needs
to be written. These are just some cases where the journalists snitch.
Related:
Living with Vista, one year on
,----[ Quote ]
| To be honest, MS did try to engage me after I wrote that, but the sad thing
| is it was through bribery. I don't use that word lightly, but there is
| nothing else I can call it. I think I explained my differences of opinion
| quite clearly in that article, and the response I got from MS was as follows,
| names removed to protect the sender.
|
| -----------------------------------------------
|
| Hi Charlie,
|
| I'm really sorry to hear of your bad impression of Windows Vista, I would be
| very interested in having a chat with you to dispell some of your worries,
| and to provide you with your first contact at Microsoft!
|
| I've got a copy of Windows Vista here for you as well if you want to have a
| go with the real deal RTM build!
|
| (signature)
|
| ----------------------------------------------------
|
| Please note that in the original complaint, I never once asked for a copy of
| the software, I had several versions here, and my complaints were about
| activation, DRM and other problems. A copy with all those problems is still
| as unacceptable as the ones I owned. In the following half dozen emails, my
| concerns were not placated, if anything they were confirmed.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/01/30/vista-later
INQhack survives Vistability test in Volesville
,----[ Quote ]
| The Vole (Microsoft) supposedly invited The INQ over for tea because
| we are notorious "Microsoft doubters" - and we were accompanied by
| other supposed Vole doubters such as the folk from lifehacker and
| a very nice man from Slashdot, as well as some Microsoft MvPs.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=36312
Microsoft desperately wants my love -- and yours
,----[ Quote ]
| I spent December seventh, eighth, and ninth in Seattle as Microsoft's
| guest. Microsoft flew me there from Florida at its expense, put me up
| in a nice hotel, provided decent food, and comped me and four other
| invitees to this "special conference" with presentations about the
| marvels of Vista and other recent or upcoming Microsoft products. They
| didn't quite play the old Beatles song "Love Me Do" in the background,
| but it was the event's unstated theme.
`----
http://www.linux.com/article.pl?sid=06/12/12/085222
Bribing Bloggers
,----[ Quote ]
| This is the most frustrating thing about the practice of giving
| bloggers free stuff: it pisses in the well, reducing the credibility
| of all blogs. I'm upset that people trust me less because of the
| behavior of other bloggers. Don't even get me started about PayPerPost.
|
| [...]
|
| Do not, under any circumstances, consider upgrading an XP system to
| Vista... even if it's fairly new and even if it's Vista Supremo
| Premium Ultra-Capable.
`----
http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2006/12/28.html
Microsoft's Laptop Giveaway Becoming PR Disaster?
,----[ Quote ]
| This thing is starting to feel like a PR disaster. Bloggers are
| starting to smell blood and this thing very well may begin to
| turn into yet another episode of bloggers gone wild.
`----
http://biz.yahoo.com/seekingalpha/061228/23174_id.html?.v=1
Bribing Bloggers
,----[ Quote ]
| It's a bribe. Period. You say nice things about us, you get nice
| things from us. Heck, just say neutral things about us-we'll give
| you a killer new laptop and we know that you'll be inclined to say
| better things about us.
`----
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,2077596,00.asp?kc=EWRSS03129TX1K0000616
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