On Feb 2, 7:32 pm, "Ezekiel" <Z...@xxxxx> wrote:
> "Rex Ballard" <rex.ball...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:d0b58b5a-9d23-49b5-8274-50bdc45a76a4@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > On Feb 2, 6:50 pm, Hadron <hadronqu...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >> Rex Ballard <rex.ball...@xxxxxxxxx> writes:
> >> > On Feb 2, 5:56 pm, ray <r...@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >> >> Actually, I'm not so sure they'e very good at marketing - I think
> >> >> they're
> >> >> great at extortion.
What Microsoft is really good at, is providing HELP to customers,
through their software. Microsoft took Mac, "The computer for the
rest of us" and taught us how to use it, without ever opening a
manual, reading a book, or taking lots of college courses.
Sometimes, Microsoft got a little carried a way. We are often annoyed
by the dancing paper clip,and the animated dog helping us search, and
BOB just never even made it to market. It seems that for those helps,
Microsoft assumed that we were dumber than we really were.
I admit, I was using a Mac quite successfully long before Microsoft
even put out Windows 1.0 and Microsoft didn't saturate applications
with help until Windows 3.1, but I also remember being frustrated by
some applications that might have been able to do something - but
figuring out how wasn't so easy.
The Linux community is getting better at providing really good context
sensitive help in newer applications, but there are still a lot of
applications where the only documentation is in the man pages.
> >> > They have publicly admitted, in court, to fraud, extortion, blackmail,
> >> > sabotage, and obstruction of justice, just before negotiating
> >> > settlements where the lawyers get $millions in cash, and the plaintiff
> >> > gets $millions worth of "Billy Bucks" - Microsoft licenses - for
> >> > computers that were previously running Linux.
>
> >> > Microsoft has demonstrated that CRIME DOES PAY!
> >> Why did you not list IBM Rexx?
> > IBM has been working very hard to maintain ethical standards.
> What a load of bullshit. Even by the extremely low standards you normally
> use..
> <quote>
> Ripples Keep Spreading in a Chinese Bribery Case
> </quote>http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/01/business/worldbusiness/01bribe.html
And not only was the IBM employee fired, but IBM provided evidence
needed to convict him.
> <quote>
> Settlement Made by I.B.M.
> Securities and Exchange Commission agrees to pay $300,000 to settle
> regulatory complaints related to allegations that unit in Argentina paid
> bribe to win contracts
> </quote>http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D04EFDF1638F931A15751...
And not only was the IBM employee fired, but IBM provided evidence
needed to convict him.
> <quote>
> Money-Laundering Report Gives Argentine Leader a New Woe
> It also reported that Federal Bank sent about $1 million to a Citibank
> account that originated from bribes that an IBM subcontractor paid to an
> Argentine public bank to acquire a contract with the government.
> </quote>http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C00EEDB1E38F932A35750...
And not only was the IBM subcontractor fired, but IBM provided
evidence needed to convict them.
> <quote>
> Ex-I.B.M. Executive Charged In Multimillion-Dollar Scheme
> Former IBM executive Robert St Germain and Lawrence Laspina, Fort
> Lauderdale, Fla, man who bought discontinued computer parts, are indicted
> by Federal grand jury on charges that they were part of conspiracy to
> swindle company out of at least $20 million worth of surplus computer
> equipment; grand jury also charges that outsiders provided company insiders
> with over $500,000 in bribes to promote scheme
> </quote>http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0DEFDA1438F93BA35757...
IBM doesn't normally declare why someone is an ex-employee. Could it
be that he was fired for misconduct? Doesn't really say - does it?
> (MURDER - Yeah, that's nice.)
> INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS; Bribery Suspect Is Found Dead
> Marcelo Cattaneo, suspect in bribery investigation involving IBM and
> Argentine state bank, Banco de la Nacion, is found hanged, a presumed
> suicide; case reviewed
> </quote>http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C01E7D6163BF934A35753...
IBM routinely helps to prosecute employees and partners found guilty
of misconduct, especially bribery. It's possible that someone,
knowing that IBM was willing to be more than just a little bit
cooperative - and facing an Argentine prison, might be inclined to
take the "Easy way out".
[snip redundant articles covering the same 3-4 incidents]
> > There
> > are business conduct guidelines, and every employee is required to re-
> > certify every year.
> Yeah. And these stories are all "fake" because Microsoft controls the
> press. Right liar?
No. IBM has almost 1/2 million employees. Some of them do things
they shouldn't. If IBM catches them, IBM often notifies the
authorities themselves. In some cases, especially those involving
government contracts, IBM often initiates their own investigation and
if they think something looks "fishy" they help the authorities
investigate. If there are amends to be made, they get made, even if
the people involved made the illegal actions without IBM's knowledge.
> I've found that your a habitual liar who has yet to post a single
> verifiable fact.
I'm posting in my spare time, often in transit, often with little time
to even type out the post on my Dvorak keyboard (60-80 wpm).
Providing comprehensive research into cases reported 15-20 years ago,
or only currently documented in "paper archives" such as Microfilm or
Microfiche, with no "Google" to aid in the search - tends to take a
very long time.
Sometimes, I'll even throw in a "ringer", posting something I'm
reading in a current issue of a print publication. Ironically, the
referenced information "disappears" shortly after I quote it.
Try reading George Orwell's 1984 or Ray Bradbury's Farenheit 451
If you can find a paper copy anymore.
How much longer before they start burning all the books and closing
all the libraries?
Maybe one of these days, I'll post something really proposterous
sounding, and risk a copyright violation by putting the scanned copy
of the original 20 year old publication article on the web site. I
should probably even include the advertizing of the competitor
products.
I still have a few magazines that go back 30 years.
I once had a complete collection of Byte Magazine from 1979 to 1995
when they stopped the print publication. I'd read every issue cover
to cover. Including the "marginally interesting legal news" in the
back 1/3 of the magazine.
There were THOUSANDS of interesting events that NEVER got reported on
television, or even page one of Time Magazine, or even the first 10
pages of the New York Times.
It seems that nearly all of those events remain undocumented on the
web, even to this day.
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