Microsoft Bribing Bloggers With Laptops 308
Slinky writes "According to at least six bloggers, Microsoft has been sending out free top-of-the-line laptops pre-loaded with Vista as a 'no strings attached gifts'. This 'reward' for their hard work on covering tech in general is coincidentally right before the launch of Vista to consumers. To be clear, these weren't loans, they were gifts, and they were top-of-the-line Acer Ferrari laptops. Microsoft blogger Long Zheng broke the silence over the source of the freebies."
top of the line? (Score:4, Insightful)
Okay, MS is involved, but this is news? (Score:2, Insightful)
Hardly a bribe then (Score:3, Insightful)
According to at least six bloggers, Microsoft has been sending out free top-of-the-line laptops pre-loaded with Vista as a 'no strings attached gifts'.
To me, that's a gift not a bribe. I can't remember the specifics, but I'm sure Apple did something similar a while ago. They're saying "thanks for the coverage", and that's that.
I'm happy over here with my OS X machines with Linux installs on the server side, and I still can't see a reason to be going after Microsoft for this. They got coverage, and they said thanks.
Cheers,
Ian
Re:top of the line? (Score:2, Insightful)
There have been some great laptops -- even the Compaq luggables were good -- but I agree that few will get fired for buying a Thinkpad.
Disclosure (Score:5, Insightful)
Nah, it's still a bribe. (Score:3, Insightful)
Maybe one or two out of that number don't write straight-down-the-line praises of microsoft products. Most, however, find their enthusiasm for Microsoft somewhat re-enforced by the arrival of a beautiful, beautiful machine. And the bloggers don't write cood Microsoft copy because they have to. They do it because they want to.
As far as I can tell there's nothing grossly unethical about it. It's not like Microsoft is paying anyone to write anything they don't already write. But for want of a better word, 'bribery' still works.
But my hat is off to Microsoft anyway. It's just... brilliant. Damn them. Brilliant.
I'm confused (Score:1, Insightful)
Re:I'd just like to tell Microsoft (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:top of the line? (Score:2, Insightful)
Each Acer I've ever had experience with (mostly tablets, but some laptops) has reaffirmed that I will definitely not be purchasing one. They're awful. Of course "top-of-the-line" is probably just referring to Acer's top shelf product, which in my opinion doesn't have much going for it. While I personally haven't used the Ferrari line, I can't imagine they'd be much better - adding an exotic car mfg's logo to a laptop doesn't give it an edge.
Had I received such a 'present' from MS, I would have tried selling it off for a down payment on a nice ASUS laptop.
Re:How is this bribing? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:top of the line? (Score:3, Insightful)
In any event, arguing silly semantics about the 'top of the line' doesn't change the moral of the story - Microsoft wants good press and is going out of its way to get it. That's not surprising, they just have a bigger PR budget than most.
Is it wrong? No.
Is it uncommon? Giving out demos is certainly expected, but this sort of 'gift' is a bit unusual.
Should people be aware that it's happening? Probably, if you want an unbiased opinion.
Why is this bad? (Score:4, Insightful)
Since Vista might not run all that well on some of these folks old A21M Thinkpads or whatever, sending out CDs might be a bit risky. Especially given the general flakiness of laptop hardware. Getting a harvest of blogger comments about how Vista refused to install or installed, but ate six directories containing a new novel is really a dubious marketing investment. Since Microsoft is awash in profts from its unchecked monopoly practices, why not give away laptops along with the OS?
Re:How is this bribing? (Score:4, Insightful)
Well, record labels will send free CDs, t-shirts, and other materials. Movie studios will fly reviewers out to special reviewer-only screenings of their films in a high-end theater. Microsoft wants Vista to be run on the best possible hardware for it, so they'll send out laptops with Vista preloaded. Apparently, Slashdotters are just now realizing how the industry has worked for decades. It's in the best interests of the companies for reviewers to have access to their products for review, because all this stuff is expensive and can be hard to find.
You do realize they can send the laptop back to Microsoft when they're done reviewing Vista on it, right?
Re:I'm confused (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Yay, a free laptop that isn't really yours (Score:3, Insightful)
Step 2. Reformat Hard Drive.
Step 3. Install Linux or whatever other Os of your choice.
Re:Hardly a bribe then (Score:1, Insightful)
And the Hells Angels are just displaying their sense of direction when they whisper in your ear that they know where you live.
If you give a gift with the intention to influence, it's a bribe. Try "giving" the nice police officer a laptop (no strings attached) next time you're pulled over at the highway and see what happends next. He might ask you to come to his office so he can thank you properly!
Or try "giving" a large sum of money to the guy you think will be president next time so he'll be grateful later and you'll be in good standing with the power. You'll go straight to jail. Oh wait.
ethical reviewing (Score:2, Insightful)
Unreleased products where they can be considered betas, no problem getting a sample loaner model, I have done it myself in a biz I was in before, critiquing proposed products. But, no money was received, nor were any products transferred for ownership, just a normal review process that both the product and the written review went back only to the manufacturer and wasn't for publication.
Re:Yay, a free laptop that isn't really yours (Score:4, Insightful)
Part of MS's onerous content protection guidelines is to make the hardware as difficult to reverse engineer as possible. From inaccessible circuit paths and obfuscated drivers to encrypting the bus and "suspicious voltage" trip wires. Widespread adoption of DRM-crippled hardware will make open source and alternate platform drivers outrageously difficult. In addition, all the extra hardware and effort to lockdown equipment from its OWNER will make it cost more too.
You cannot avoid DRM by simply avoiding Windows. Freedom loving geeks will have to do a bit of research to pick DRM-free parts. Maybe someday manufacturers will opt for a "DRM free" sticker on the box instead of "Designed for Windows Vista."
Re:How is this bribing? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:How is this bribing? (Score:3, Insightful)