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____/ nessuno@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx on Friday 03 October 2008 22:59 : \____
> On Oct 3, 10:29 am, Roy Schestowitz <newsgro...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
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>> ____/ ness...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx on Friday 03 October 2008 14:41 : \____
>>
>>
>>
>> > <Quote>
>> > Microsoft said Thursday that it would set up research centers in
>> > Britain, France and Germany to improve its Internet search technology,
>> > describing the move as a vote of confidence in the European economy
>> > and in the company’s ability to close the gap with Google.
>>
>> > The chief executive, Steven A. Ballmer, said at a news conference that
>> > the three “centers of excellence” — near Paris, in London and in
>> > Munich — would employ several hundred people.
>>
>> > Microsoft has been pushing to improve its ability to run Internet
>> > searches.... “We are the challenger, not the leader, in search,” Mr.
>> > Ballmer said. “But search is in its infancy, and there is so much room
>> > for innovation.”
>>
>> > Google accounts for nearly 80 percent of Internet searches in Europe,
>> > according to the research company comScore; its share is slightly more
>> > than 60 percent in the United States.
>>
>> > Microsoft has barely 1 percent of the European search market,
>> > according to comScore, and in some countries it even trails local
>> > search engines.
>> > </Quote>
>>
>> >http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/03/technology/internet/03soft.html
>>
>> > Ballmer seems to be serious when he says Microsoft will spend whatever
>> > it takes to catch up with Google. It remains to be seen whether even
>> > with his bank account he will be able to do it. Lately Microsoft has
>> > been paying people to use their search services, which doesn't sound
>> > like a good approach in the long run. Also looks like he wants to
>> > have a presence in all the major countries of Europe---maybe for some
>> > extra "influence", you suppose?
>>
>> ...Like that blackmailing incident in Denmark, with the Man in the Sweater
>> reportedly threatening to destroy jobs if he doesn't get intellectual
>> monopolies on maths?
>
> PJ noted that all three countries supported OOXML. Now they get
> Microsoft labs.
<MinceR> sounds like another bribe visit
<brunomiguel> well.... yeah
<brunomiguel> the portuguese parliament is about to vote the approval of open
standards and I fear that this visit will stop that and give a boost to the
dh'ooxml crap
<schestowitz> MinceR: not "bribe"... incentives.
<schestowitz> You give, you get
<MinceR> personal incentives
<MinceR> you screw your country, you get an envelope full of money.
<schestowitz> Earlier today in Groklaw: " * Microsoft to open research
centers in Europe
<schestowitz> * 12:02AM October 10/03/08, 2008
<schestowitz> * Steven Ballmer, the Microsoft chief executive, said at a
news conference here that the three "centers of excellence," to be based near
Paris, in London and in Munich, would employ several hundred people all
together.
<schestowitz> He declined to say how much the company would invest. But
Microsoft, which has fought pitched battles with European regulators over its
Windows operating system, said it was making a major commitment to Europe at a
time when many companies were nervous about spending on new projects.
<schestowitz> [PJ: Hmm. France, Germany and UK. I can't shake the nagging
memory that these three helped out with their OOXML votes.] - Eric Pfanner,
IHT "
<brunomiguel> that's a distortion of the free software mantra - give and get
<schestowitz> It was the same suspicion in other countries. Let me find it.
<schestowitz> Here:
http://www.groklaw.net/articlebasic.php?story=20080525134433446 Have a look.
<schestowitz> "
<schestowitz> The Czech Republic, the UK, Germany, Denmark, Finland and Norway
all voted to approve OOXML."
<schestowitz> "This was a change for each of them. In September, the Czech
Republic, the UK, Denmark, and Norway had voted to disapprove, so this was a
change in Microsoft's favor. Finland abstained in September, and it voted to
approve in March as well."
<schestowitz> "They all changed to approve, in other words, and now they are on
the opening list of beneficiaries of Microsoft's beneficence, for which it is
so well-known."
<schestowitz> "So. What do you think of my theory? There's an article in
Shoot's May edition, page 14, about the new branding campaign, and it calls it
a "global" campaign, with "viral videos playing in four countries" already,
the UK, Germany, France and Australia, showing young people who have benefited
from the "Microsoft Learning Center"."
<schestowitz> "So who isn't on the list of recipients? I see no young people
from India, which voted against OOXML and criticized the process but where
young people could probably use some help. Where's New Zealand, which voted
no? South Africa, which not only voted no but filed an official appeal of the
OOXML approval? They don't need help for young people there? The other
countries that voted No, like China, Venezuela, Canada, Ecuador? Don't g
<schestowitz> et me wrong. I'm not hoping Microsoft spreads its technology to
young people anywhere. I'm just saying."
<brunomiguel> it's like on of those clinics for junkies get their fix
<brunomiguel> with nurses, doctors and clean needles
<brunomiguel> but this ones have butchers
<schestowitz> Bear in mind that Microsoft spoke to presidents to push the OOXML
agenda (e.g. the French president... Mexico for a known fact)
<schestowitz> Gates and Ballmer phones diplomats, so I suspect there was an
exchange of some favour. "Do me one... I'll do one for you later"
<brunomiguel> probably, when some terms end, they will work for microsoft...
<brunomiguel> or something like that
<brunomiguel> it wouldn't be the first time a politician would help a company
and ended up working for that company a few years later
- --
~~ Best of wishes
Roy S. Schestowitz | Reversi for free: http://othellomaster.com
http://Schestowitz.com | RHAT Linux | PGP-Key: 0x74572E8E
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