Comments on: Gary M. Stewart (aka “Flatfish”) About Microsoft AstroTurfing: “It’s made me A LOT of money….”

By: Roy Schestowitz

Roy Schestowitz — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 14:09:30 +0000

A lot of Web sites recite conventions (“…Windows is easy to use … Cuba is a terrible dictatorship … Iraq has weapons of mass destruction… the economy will continue to grow through 2008 and 2009…”), but those who are not indoctrinated are able to see past the smoke screen and help establish truth, not marketing (which is a trillion-dollar industry in the US). People who strive to tell truth risk lawsuits even if they say the truth. Editorial control will prevent you from seeing non-conventional (read: not conformist) arguments due to concision constraints, fear, and advertising.

There is no money to be made from exposing corruption.

In this week’s news:

Sri Lankan newspaper editor shot dead http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/08/sri-lankan-editor-killed

He alleged corruption.

By: Dante

Dante — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 13:56:56 +0000

Peter2, I must admit, some of Roy’s postings are a little unbelievable, so much so my optimistic side wants me to believe there can be no such foul items in the world. Some of the stuff on here, though, can be independantly verified. Though I would like to see some more in the way of independant evidence then relating blog posts.

I’m also aware this is about the only anti-MS site on the net, considering you should judge both extremes to come to a reasonable conclusion, I can safely say we’d be throughly buggered if it weren’t for Roy.

By: Roy Schestowitz

Roy Schestowitz — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 13:26:58 +0000

Let's keep our eyes shut and pretend that Microsoft does nothing that harms us by intention. Sure, that would be easier. "Geeks like to think that they can ignore politics, you can leave politics alone, but politics won't leave you alone."

--Richard Stallman

By: Peter2

Peter2 — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 13:16:38 +0000

And another post of yours publishing name and adresses.
This time with some ‘evidence’ of someone astroturfuing for Microsoft.
Actually evidence is to much because this stament could mean anything. It does not state any connection between this person and Microsoft of Novell nor do you privade any evidence of such a connection between this person and Micrsoft or Novell.

You use your blog for some kind of anti Microsoft and Novell warfare and in the process have lost the entire concept of what prica means and how this important for the FOSS community.

You are not a fried of FOSS but an enemy of FOSS.
I am not surprised people use fake names when publishing on your blog or the COLA newsgroups. If people don’t hide you are going after them to expose their private information on your website.

Sickening behaviour.

By: Dan

Dan — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 21:25:35 +0000

Good, good…sorry Roy, I just had to make sure.

Happy new year.

By: Roy Schestowitz

Roy Schestowitz — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 21:04:02 +0000

I’ve researched this for years.

By: Dan

Dan — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 21:00:57 +0000

Roy, what worries me about this site is that, as far as I can see, it’s the only one. I must ask, not out of hatred, but out of reasoning, if what you say be true; then why arent there other websites coming to the same conclusions as yours?

By: Roy Schestowitz

Roy Schestowitz — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 08:32:26 +0000

They are similar characters but not the same person. Both are vandals.

By: Robert

Robert — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 06:45:42 +0000

G michaels, or should we call you flatfish? or Gary, or any of the 300 nyms you post with?

Roy, i honestly believe that this is Gary Stewart. it would not bother me if you delete his post from your blog.

By: G. Michaels

G. Michaels — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 00:52:01 +0000

I know a lot of people who have made a lot of money off Microsoft, mainly by writing software for their operating system, using their development tools to write applications, creating add-ons for their office suites, etc.

That… didn’t cross your mind for a second? At all?

I have no friend called twitter.

First Shane and now Will? Soon you’ll be left only with “Diamond Wakizashi” or whatever his name is, posting repeatedly about how Novell is Microsoft’s “bitch”. That should be fun to watch

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

By: Roy Schestowitz

Roy Schestowitz — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 15:37:02 +0000

I have no friend called twitter. There are a person in IRC called “twitter” and he comments here too. So do you, but I don’t consider you a “friend”.

By: Dan O'Brian

Dan O'Brian — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 15:34:16 +0000

Sounds like this guy is taking lessons from your friend, twitter.

By: Roy Schestowitz

Roy Schestowitz — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 11:00:52 +0000

Truth wins in the end. Vista has made it hard for AstroTurfers and has created a breading ground for creating people like me to undermine them.

They seem to be unleashing more of them whenever there is a major release of Windows. This was pointed out by several people in USENET and yesterday I published this exchange from Gates (private mail to Ballmer):


"Second, we have to make windows really good - not in the ways we have assig
 to os/2 but in ease of use approaches and software environment richness
 approaches. We will need smart people to adavnce the product - smaller,
 faster for the kernel but smarter for all the interface pieces. Apple
 isnt dont what they should in this area and we can. I am not saying to
tilt back towards windows or even to keep particular people but rather to
 keep what we have and focus it on refinement of speed/size and interface
 stuff. We may need to do some more software evangelization in certain
 catergories.

Mind the words "software evangelization". You know what Microsoft refers to by "evangelization" and the "Barkto" story serves as a lesson.

Really I am surprised no one has sued Microsoft for supporting AstroTurfers yet.

Don't bet on it yet. I received some E-mails from high places after this post. The evidence is out there now.

By: oiaohm

oiaohm — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 10:45:57 +0000

I always had fun with some of those turfs. Worst thing for them is a pure logical argument without felling for or against a particular OS and being known for it. Instead they have to fight because all people were doing was building a better and better case not to use particular products. Failed attempts by turfs to under mine the case was just making it stronger.

Lot of them try calling me a lintard. Only to find out I rip all OS’s apart equally. If there is a flaw in a OS I will attack it.

Microsoft treats this as a war and there AstroTurfers are there army.

Problem for them there is a mirror army. Far worse. People like me who use logic and truth to win. I am more than prepared to accept any error I have made if you can back it up with valid documentation.

Truth wins in the end. Vista has made it hard for AstroTurfers and has created a breading ground for creating people like me to undermine them.

Really I am surprised no one has sued Microsoft for supporting AstroTurfers yet.

By: Needs Sunlight

Needs Sunlight — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 10:45:44 +0000

Hmm. Interesting. I recognized several of those pseudonymns as being astroturfing accounts. It’s not a surprise to find it’s the same shill behind them. I’d bet that if the astroturfing were to fully stop for one week, even from M$ staff, that’d be one week there’d be *no* positive comments about or defense of M$, it’s products or business methods.