06.02.08

FUD Watch: Use of the “Anti-Microsoft” Label to Spur Vista Uptake

Posted in Microsoft, Windows, GNU/Linux, FUD, Europe, Vista at 1:34 am by Roy Schestowitz

Do you hate Stalin? Why do you hate Stalin? You are such a rabid hater.

For context and background about this, consider reading (in reverse-chronological order):

• Number One Lobbyist Gets Tax Breaks, Government Deals, Innocent Children
• Quick Mention: Microsoft Intersection with the United States Government
• Urgent Need for Transparency in Procurement, Standards-Setting Process
• Funny Microsoft Business in UK Public Sector Just Got Funnier
• Microsoft Dealt Another Big Blow in Europe (UK), Pawns Exposed Further
• Worse Than a Licence to Kill: Licence to Practise Mathematics
• Richard Steel's and Microsoft Ballnux Franchise (Updated)

As regular readers may know, we identify and track those who are responsible for monopolisation in the market and exclusion of threats to the status quo. This happens to include Free software, but isn’t restricted to it (Google would be another example). There are several such people who act as gatekeepers in the press and also inside local authorities. They reference their peers for audacity or, in the case of Newham, they can cite their own ’studies’, published under different entities. Analysts are another interesting bunch because they have no dignity; they have clients.

This brings us to the news now. Watch how a man, to whom the “Get the Facts” roadshow in the UK is often attributed, responds to this new article about neglect of Windows Vista by British CIOs.

Steel, who was criticized by open source proponents for selecting Microsoft over open source, said there is still an anti-Microsoft feeling among local authority CIOs. As Socitm president he said he saw little adoption of the new operating system. Recently analysts have come out in support of Vista, claiming organizations could miss out on important business benefits if they delay adoption. “One of the things that I am finding more and more is that the anti-Microsoft camp is growing,” he said.

Notice the use of negative labels like “anti-Microsoft”. Steel is trying to justify his own poor choices by accusing others of irrational hatred. He wants to see no flaw in Windows Vista, which is shunned by so many (the press dislikes even Service Pack 1). He knows virtually nothing about GNU/Linux, maybe willfully. He is also unable to speak critically about a serial convicted monopolist.

“Steel is trying to justify his own poor choices by accusing others of irrational hatred.”We wrote several times in the past about the use of derogatory labels and that may give him something to have a good laugh about in the next Redmond picnic. That’s where many of the FUD patterns and labels come from. We found this in leaked E-mails a couple of months ago.

People whom we criticise here are like ‘agents’ inside — or by the sidelines of — the British government. By ‘agents’ we don’t mean that they are affiliated with or employed by Microsoft, but there is affinity and inter-personal responsibility. There is an informal commitment and mutual relationship. At the moment, Rob Enderle is doing some legwork as well by writing about his client’s competition. This may indicate that a certain company is feeling the heat, so it attacks rivals rather than improve its own act and products. █

“We’ve got to put a lot of money into changing behavior.”

–Bill Gates

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