Microsoft PR: Looking Under The Hood 389
mtr writes "An interesting article uncovering some embarassing and amusing PR practices of our friendly software giant had been recently published by Michael Zalewski. The author recovered change tracking information from all the DOCs published on microsoft.com, and came up with something to cheer you up. It's funny when it happens to others - but even better if it fires back on themselves.
Read the full story here."
If only... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Cue Lawyers! (Score:1, Funny)
Lawyers would probably be overkill.
Finally! (Score:5, Funny)
Friendly software giant? (Score:5, Funny)
Hey! (Score:5, Funny)
Is that sarcasm?
Pining... (Score:5, Funny)
This makes me harken back to the days of yore...
Ah ... (Score:2, Funny)
is anyone else a little hesitant? (Score:5, Funny)
Hmmm (Score:5, Funny)
Call me paranoid, but all those "xxx, Chief Information Officer/Vice President at Avensis" quotes make it look as if they were fabricated prior to even figuring out who to talk to at the company, not to mention determining what his/her name would be.
Could it be that the Author of the memo heard a taped recording of the comments, and transcribed them without knowing the guy's name, thus leaving placeholders?
I don't think that even M$FT would stoop so low as to intentionally misquote someone. They'd never get away with it.
wbs.
Stunts gone wrong (Score:5, Funny)
It would be fantastic to find out that MS is actually some kind of joke gone wrong. Like,
"Hey, lets make a really bad operating system and see what happens."
"Holy cow, they are buying it!"
"Man, thats insane, lets make another one and see if they still fall for it."
"Jesys, can't these people learn? I know, lets hype up something that doesnt exist and then not bother releasing it."
"Woah, demand is so high we can afford to pay for it to be made."
"Why not, but insert some easter eggs that make it crash. That should let them realise it's all a big farce."
slashdot has incredible news! (Score:5, Funny)
Sorry, I know this is offtopic but... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Hey! (Score:5, Funny)
wow... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Finally! (Score:5, Funny)
Now even Microsoft is in on the tired^H^H^H^H^Hclassic "^H" joke!
The " joke? I don't get it.
Informative line about Home Depot (Score:5, Funny)
"Home Depot: evaluated both, chose Windows for 8,200 Windows desktops, 42,000 Windows embedded for POS devices,... "
Several devices that I have bought at Home Depot have been a POS, but I wsn't aware Windows was embedded in them. Is windows in every POS that Home Depot sells or just certain items?
bwahhhahaha (Score:3, Funny)
Re:is anyone else a little hesitant? (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Finally! (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Informative line about Home Depot (Score:2, Funny)
I'd like to help you, but... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Pining... (Score:1, Funny)
Re:is anyone else a little hesitant? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:is anyone else a little hesitant? (Score:5, Funny)
The article is about Microsoft. What, were you afraid it might be a picture of Bill Goatse?
Re:Embarassing not - Yes (Score:4, Funny)
The most effective PR people know how to shade the truth/lie in such a way that the message, regardless of how misleading, cannot be challenged as being inaccurate.
An experienced communications specialist would come out with the statement:
"The Senator is taking a hiatus from active service to better understand how to reduce his own reliance on foreign products while minimizing any potential financial repercussions."
which is much better than saying:
"The Senator is drying out at the Betty Ford clinic after realizing that he can no longer afford to drink Chivas by the boatload."
myke
I dub the effect "Mistakenography" (Score:4, Funny)
Does anyone else see the potential humor factor in sending the people memos with deliberately corrected info?
It's a whole new realm of sarcasm.
Core Dump (Score:2, Funny)
Re:If only... (Score:5, Funny)
Employers will demand (Score:2, Funny)
Forget M$, What About Everybody Else? (Score:3, Funny)
Kerry: The Republic leadership are fascist motherf^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H out of touch with their genitals^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H the American people.
Bush: Kerry is a drunken^H^H^H^H^H^H^H vacillating liberal who likes crack whores^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H will raise taxes.
Nader: I am still committed to causing confusion^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H providing an alternative in the political process.
I just sent a suggestion to Google that they should index deleted and revised text in Word documents. Wouldn't that be fun?
Re:Finally! (Score:3, Funny)
fuck
stty erase ^H
dammit
tcsh
Re:Informative line about Home Depot (Score:3, Funny)
Most of what is done on the Home Depot computers is run an old dos program on Windows 2k in a command prompt/terminal window. It is teh sux.
But to answer your question, no, Windows is not embedded in any of our products. So don't get upset when your new pink toilet seat doesn't run MS Word.
Re:Embarassing not - Yes (Score:5, Funny)
"The Senator is taking a hiatus from active service to better understand how to reduce his own reliance on foreign products while minimizing any potential financial repercussions."
Please, that is SO pre Bush Administration. Their stye of communications would give the following press release:
"There is no Senator, there never has, and there never will be. And if their was, the notion that he is in rehab is insulting and unpatriotic. You must be a member of the Taliban"
Re:Embarassing not (Score:3, Funny)
If there wasn't so many people falling under the societal spell that "corporations = evil", without actually thinking it through,
Um, isn't '=' an assignment operator?
What's Scary... (Score:3, Funny)
Notice the name of the program: ORK.EXE
Who at MS is now working on ELF.EXE - Eliminate Linux Forever?