07.23.08

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Microsoft Attacks Another Legitimate Critic, Tries to Get Him Fired?

Posted in Free/Libre Software, GNU/Linux, Microsoft at 6:20 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

John West, The Microsoft Shill-Employee Du Jour?

SCON began a couple of days ago. It’s a lavish — if not a tad crass — display of status… oh, and products. In fact, as a bit of a protest, Professor Eben Moglen gave quite a show there last year. Here is the video and here are some related stories from one year ago:

It is very clear that Tim and his group have made a fortune riding on the backs of Free software volunteers, bypassing the 15-year-old movement (while exploiting its fruits) with the “Open Source/Web 2.0″ fluff.

OReilly Media, perhaps much like the OSI, even made room fotr those that call Open Source a “cancer” and “un-American”. But hey, can you blame them? More guests at the show mean more revenue, right?

Anyway, so Microsoft ‘pulled another OSBC’ [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] and attended yet another open source event. it always does, no matter how unwelcome it is. “Var Guy” noticed their presence. Dana Blankenhorn characterises this event as gathering of the tribes, but he did not attend; neither did Matt Asay, who wrote to say that Microsoft isn't genuinely interested in open source (unless it can destroy its meaning and spirit). Microsoft only studies the phenomenon so that it can derail it and use it to own advantage.

Here is the ugly part. Matt Asay commented quite politely on the reality behind Microsoft’s motives. Look what he’s getting.

Just when I think Matt’s bias against Microsoft can’t become any more evident, he has the audacity to blog on an event * HE DIDN’T EVEN ATTEND *. Congratulations on showing more and more why your opinions and blogs are worthless.

Cnet, are you going to continue to have this guy represent you (of course, officially that’s not the case)? Please, get some editorial standards in place, and remove him. He doesn’t deserve the spot of recognization that’s being given to him.

John

[...]

John, for some reason the system seems to have neglected to register the last comment I made. Basically, I just noted that you’re a blogger for Microsoft (unless it’s a different John West), working in its SharePoint group. So perhaps your bias is an equal and opposing force to mine?

I think you missed the point of this post, and you’ve missed the point of my posts for the past 4-5 years. I’m not a Microsoft hater. I genuinely and generally like its technology – it’s the business practices that I often criticize. I even like your SharePoint quite a bit, despite competing with it. As a product, it’s great. As a way to lock customers into its existing platforms, it’s not so great.

Microsoft will need to open up in order to compete on the web. It’s not a critique – it’s just required.

Once again they strongarm writers. They cannot accept criticism, even criticism which is perfectly reasonable given Microsoft’s consistent attack on Free software.

The only person who needs to be fired or excluded in this case is John West, who is attempting corporate censorship. There are other examples of this. Yes, this is not the first time such a thing happens (and the vandal caught red-handed). A couple of years ago, similar comments from Microsoft employees (under pseudonyms whose IP addresses mapped back to Microsoft’s headquarters) shamelessly attacked. Even Matt was attacked in InfoWorld. If that’s not control of the press through a form of cyber-bullying, what is?

From Open Sources:

Backhanded compliments are always transparent. If you want your blog to have any credibility at all, you might want to consider putting some facts in with your opinion. You might also consider putting more of your own words in a blog post. You seem to have put the other blog’s words in your own little wrapper — hoping to get credit for the ideas.

[MATT'S NOTE: The IP address for this one came from One Microsoft Way in Redmond, WA. Imagine that.]

Posted by: Tobin (Microsoft Employee) at May 29, 2007 08:39 AM

From Rob Weir’s blog:

Anonymous said…

I hope Microsoft sues you for inciting panic.

Carry on, Microsoft. Shut people up. Try to have their publishers throw them out. Let’s see how far it goes and how your public image is affected. Microsoft has already done this to security figures. █

“Windows 2000 already contains features such as the human discipline component, where the PC can send an electric shock through the keyboard if the human does something that does not please Windows.”

–Bill Gates

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