Comments on: Microsoft on AstroTurfing in USENET Newsgroups

By: Yuhong Bao

Yuhong Bao — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:48:31 +0000

“I reject that notion that people who fight for their basis freedom are “trolls” or “extremists”.
I agree.
“It has become an ugly pattern for dismissal of opposition to suppression — digital or otherwise.”
And on BOTH sides.

By: Roy Schestowitz

Roy Schestowitz — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:50:16 +0000

I reject that notion that people who fight for their basis freedom are “trolls” or “extremists”. It has become an ugly pattern for dismissal of opposition to suppression — digital or otherwise.

By: Yuhong Bao

Yuhong Bao — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:33:04 +0000

“Whose side? There are those who care about freedom and those who care only about money, which typically comes from taking rights away.”
“This is not an “Apple vs. Microsoft” style of argument. There are no two companies involved here.”
Yep, the difference is that freedom is a factor in Windows vs Linux, while it isn’t a factor in Windows vs Mac.

By: Roy Schestowitz

Roy Schestowitz — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:18:40 +0000

Whose side? There are those who care about freedom and those who care only about money, which typically comes from taking rights away.

This is not an “Apple vs. Microsoft” style of argument. There are no two companies involved here.

By: Yuhong Bao

Yuhong Bao — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:03:44 +0000

“Whose side? ‘FSF trolls’? What I show here is that a /company/ coordinates trolling.”
True.
“You should mention that you and your cadre are using the same tactics now to slog away at any criticism of your abrasive tirades”
Yep, I said that there are trolls, astroturfers, and things like that on BOTH sides, so always be vigilant.

By: Roy Schestowitz

Roy Schestowitz — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 09:06:10 +0000

Yuhong Bao,

Whose side? ‘FSF trolls’? What I show here is that a /company/ coordinates trolling.

By: stevetheFLY

stevetheFLY — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 08:58:30 +0000

Yes; thank you Mr Schestowitzk, this really illustrates very well what I meant... Note: comment has been flagged for arriving from an incarnation of a known (eet), pseudonymous, forever-nymshifting, abusive Internet troll that posts from open proxies and relays around the world.

By: stevetheFLY

stevetheFLY — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 08:40:55 +0000

The more disgusting trolls are on our side, I'm afraid. No-one is surprised by the questionable method of Microsoft, but to think that ugly shit is spread around by our own camp makes me feel a little de-motivated for the cause of GNU. Note: comment has been flagged for arriving from an incarnation of a known (eet), pseudonymous, forever-nymshifting, abusive Internet troll that posts from open proxies and relays around the world.

By: G. Michaels

G. Michaels — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 07:01:17 +0000

You should mention that you and your cadre are using the same tactics now to slog away at any criticism of your abrasive tirades:

http://slashdot.org/~SockDisclosure/journal/214377

This ‘twitter’ person (Slashdot’s most prolific nymshifter and troll) has probably been tasked with flooding Slashdot with links to your articles, and I suppose any number of other websites. A little “independent” praise never hurt anyone, eh?

Note: writer of this comment adds absolutely nothing but stalking and personal attacks against readers, as documented here.

By: Yuhong Bao

Yuhong Bao — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 06:51:03 +0000

In fact, I’d go as far to say that there are trolls on both sides.

By: Yuhong Bao

Yuhong Bao — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 06:44:02 +0000

Now, how MS began to criticise OS/2 after supporting it for a while are another matter (it is related to the Joint Development Agreement between IBM and MS).