Microsoft PR Rep is the Switcher 901
Here's a followup to our
earlier story
about Microsoft's "inverse switch" campaign. The AP tracked down the switcher and spoke with her:
she's an employee at a Microsoft public relations firm but says she actually did switch from Mac to Windows. Microsoft's
page
is still 404 (but Google's
cache
still works).
The interesting part to me is that the AP "tracked Mallinson by examining personal data hidden within documents that Microsoft had published with its controversial ad." Hmmmmmm.
(Kudos to obidonn, the first to
demonstrate
the use of a stock photo, which piqued interest in this story.
As of noon EDT Oct. 15, other
stock
photos
are still being used in anonymous Microsoft "testimonials.")
Google cache still works? (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Google cache still works? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Google cache still works? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Google cache still works? (Score:5, Funny)
MS Doesn't Get To Let This One "go away"... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Google cache still works? (Score:4, Funny)
Yeah, I can just see tomorrow's version of this story:
""The AP tracked down the switcher and spoke with her: she's an employee at a Microsoft public relations firm, but she says she actually did switch from Mac to Windows after MS offered her free hardware, and threatened the PR firm with loss of contract in the event she contradicted their fake story.
After threats of termination of job, and physical harm against her family, Mallison relented and agreed to corroborate the article."
-- james
Re:2 Years? (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Google cache still works? (Score:5, Interesting)
AOL did the same thing (Score:5, Informative)
---
Destiny-land [blogspot.com].
The happiest blog on earth.
Re:Google cache still works? (Score:4, Interesting)
Hoax? (Score:5, Funny)
How do we know the Anonymous Poster isn't an employee of Linux and is just trying to discredit their biggest competitor?
Re:Hoax? (Score:5, Funny)
The 13 year old script kiddie crowd is smarter... (Score:5, Informative)
"Because the 13 year old script kiddie crowd wouldn't stoop that low."
The "13 year old script kiddies" are smart enough to remove not only the web page, but the files to which it links. Not Microsoft. You can still download the original files, using the original links, which I copied from the source of the original page (my italics):
Do you have an idea for a story? We'd love to hear from you. How have you used Microsoft software to make your home or work life easier, more fun, faster, or simpler? Submit your ideas, and you could get published on the Insider Web site! Submit Your Idea Today!
- Download the submission form in Adobe PDF format [microsoft.com]
(ShowOffYourSkills.pdf, 64kb)
- Download the submission form in Word format [microsoft.com]
(ShowOffYourSkills.doc, 27kb)"
Note that, if you look at the binary of theComments To Valerie Mallinson (Wes Rataushk & Assc Inc)
A google search says Wes Rataushk & Associates, Inc is located at 5904 105th Ave NE, Kirkland, Washington. If you are in the area, stop by to joke with them about their business ethics.
It seems likely that someone downloading and submitting the form would have no chance of getting their story published because Wes Rataushk & Associates is paid to write them.
I try to help people have a balanced view of Microsoft: http://www.hevanet.com/peace/microsoft.htm [hevanet.com].
AP == Associated Press (Score:5, Informative)
How do we know the Anonymous Poster isn't an employee of Linux
I don't see "Anonymous Poster" capitalized that way anywhere in the blurb or the article.
If you're trying to draw a parallel between "AP" in the blurb and "AC" as a common abbreviation for Slashdot's Anonymous Coward, you're mistaken, but I forgive you: AP == Associated Press.
Good grief, where does it end? (Score:4, Funny)
Microsoft have so much egg on their face that this they're starting to look like that nasty chick in a cheap porno!
People still trust these assholes?
Re:Good grief, where does it end? (Score:5, Insightful)
No they dont... but unfortunately.. most people still dont know there is something else out there.
90% of the populace still think that Microsoft Windows is the only thing out there and there is nothing else available.
which makes me think... Why doesn't redhat advertise on tv? ad space on tech TV is horribly dirt cheap, as well as almost every cable channel (USA, TNN, SCI-FI, MTV... etc...)
Re:Good grief, where does it end? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Good grief, where does it end? (Score:4, Interesting)
*snicker*
I'm actually being serious, it's get my $10.
Re:Good grief, where does it end? (Score:5, Insightful)
I don't know how true that is. I'm a student (again), but I still do consulting on the side and in the small to medium size business arena, at least in my experience, people just love the MS solution. They're usually already familiar with Outlook and Office and are ready to pay for a few Dells and an 2K server or two running Exchange and MS SQL.
Frankly, the last thing I'm going to do is try to push an OSS solution for a small LAN when their primary needs are Outlook-like shared calendering, Office, and a few of the gazillion MS-only apps out there.
Some of these people are pretty shrewd. They might have both an Apple and a PC at home. They might even know what linux is, but they also know their needs, prefer MS products, and don't mind paying. If a client wants MS and wants to pay for it, its fine and with the proper administration (proper permissions, quick to patch, antivirus scanning and attachment blocking on the email server, etc) it can be just as secure as anything else in corporate America.
The question that geeks are expecting business to ask is, "How cheaply can we do this by using a no-name product?" Lets face it, linux has no brand, its more of a movement than a product. This is like assuming that cab companies are going to migrate over to the Kia Spectra (its a nice car at a nice price with a nice warranty) to save money. They're going to stick with the Caprice or Crown Victoria workhorse even if it costs a premium and if they continue to believe its worth it. Considering all their mechanics know the Crown Vic and the Caprice inside out and their drivers and customers expect a large American car, I doubt Kia will be getting any cab contracts anytime soon.
Of course things change drastically when you're dealing with larger medium sized companies and large companies, but most of these companies start small or small-ish and if BillG is already in the door they will be very skittish about kicking him out too soon.
Don't get me wrong, I would love it if a client wanted to do something from the ground up as cheap as possible and using OSS. A Moz/OpenOffice solution running on Mandrake would really be nice, but no one wants to jump into that pool unless they have to. In the meantime, unless price becomes a major factor then business will continue using MS. Its no wonder that Linux has more potential for market penetration in academia, the public sector, and in embedded devices. MS has the office environment locked and many end-users wouldn't have it any other way.
You are so right my friend (Score:5, Interesting)
You see just how simple that plays out.
Re:Good grief, where does it end? (Score:5, Informative)
You've got to be absolutely kidding. I was with you up to that point, but nobody with an ounce of sense believes that for a second.
Even "Microsoft VP Jim Allchin [...] stated, under oath, that there were flaws in Windows so great that they would threaten national security if the Windows source code were to be disclosed." (http://security.tombom.co.uk/shatter.html)
Re:Good grief, where does it end? (Score:5, Insightful)
I do consulting too, in roughly the same segment. (Don't worry, we live in different towns. ;)
In my experience, that's not love you're seeing; it's resignation. I have yet to meet any end-user who is passionate about Microsoft applications. People just don't go on about how great those things are. They're commodities.
And the unlucky "in house" folks who really aren't qualified to fix stuff (read: can't tell a SCSI card from a parallel port card) yet get asked to do it anyway are definitely no fans of Microsoft. I enjoy nodding sagely at cluebies ranting about how if they turn their PC off, disconnect and reconnect the monitor, and boot back up, it gives them some sort of message about wanting a Windows disk...
Do they upgrade? Sure! Not because there's some great new feature or capability, but because they keep hoping that maybe this time, unlike last time and the time before it, things will suck less.
"Good grief, where does it end?" indeed!
Re:Good grief, where does it end? (Score:4, Insightful)
Okay, I know I'm not going to be in the popular view here, but it's gotta be said: Redhat cannot do everything that Windows does.
Do this: Go buy any old digital camera and try to download the pics on a RedHat system.
Go buy a DVD-R and try to burn a disc.
Go to any old website showing media (RealPlayer, QuickTime, Windows Media) and see how successful you are at viewing content.
Buy a Firewire DV Video Camera and see how successful you are in getting the video off and editing it.
Try to visit a site that's made for IE.
Go to the store and buy a game.
Buy a PDA and get it to synch up.
Your network card doesn't work, find somebody you know willing to come over and fix it.
A good chunk of these problems have been solved on Linux, and if you're willing to do some insane bs to get them running, you're fine. The steps to do any of the above in Windows are very easy, especially in comparison to Linux.
Some of these challenges are a result of MS's monopoly + it's just plain a de-facto standard. Despite popular belief, there is some good for this. You can't go wrong with having a Windows machine. You're compatible with the internet, and you're compatible with nearly every game and piece of hardware available for PC's.
The problem isn't that people are unaware of it, the problem is that Windows does the best job of being friendly to the user. Sure Linux has technical superiorities in some ways, that alone does not make a good OS.
For that 90% of the people you mentioned, Windows is by far the best choice for them. Linux is a distant 3rd with OSX in 2nd place.
If you want a simple internet machine, Linux does a wonderful job for that. But the moment you start getting peripherals involved, Linux has a huge uphill battle. It just doesn't make sense for that 90 percentile to run Linux today.
You know what though? That can't be true forever. I do feel that Linux can overtake Windows. The first step is to get millions of people running the OS. That's slowly but surely starting to happen. Every time MS makes a misstep (like their SP 3 licensing BS), Linux has an opportunity to make an inroads. When a DVD-Burner manufacturer is swamped with "Uhh where's the Linux Drivers?" questions, they'll eventually realize "oh.. people use Linux too, we should support it...." When that starts to happen, Linux then can become a viable alternative to Windows.
MS didn't get big by bullying people around, it got big because it made computers into something average people can make really good use of. That is why people are buying Windows machines, it's not because they're unaware of Linux's existence. Today, it is not ready.
Re:Good grief, where does it end? (Score:5, Interesting)
Some? Huh? I'm sorry, but almost all--ALL--of the examples you listed are examples of cases where a third party supports Windows because it is the de facto standard.
If MS didn't have their monopoly, and weren't a de facto standard, those companies would be supporting other systems as well, or better yet, SOME STANDARD that can be applied across systems.
Despite popular belief, there is some good for this.
I can't believe this--the benevolent monopoly is a ridiculous argument. There is no good in monopoly. There is good in standards, but that is different from a monopoly. The argument of standards through monopoly is an argument for laziness and complacency.
You're compatible with the internet
Fucking right--MS should be compatible with the internet. That's because, at least so far, the internet is largely based on open protocols that anyone can use.
MS didn't get big by bullying people around, it got big because it made computers into something average people can make really good use of.
I'm sorry, but this is too much. MS DID get big by bullying people around--thus their conviction on antitrust charges.
The argument about usablity for the average person is a joke. If that were all that were driving things, we'd all be using Apples.
Look, I'm not going to say that MS doesn't do some things well. I still maintain that their office suite is probably the best around, and has been for some time.
Linux does have its problems. But Linux having problems in no way justifies MS. The fact that Linux isn't the best at all things doesn't mean that I would choose MS if MS weren't a monopoly.
I am flabbergasted when I see individuals who fail to see certain things:
(1) MS is a convicted monopoly. This means they coerced themselves into the marketplace. This is something that would be apparent to many even if MS weren't convicted.
(2) Being a monopoly is wrong for any number of reasons: it means the monopoly has an unfair advantage with regard to a cash safety reserve, time to screw up and then try and try again until you get it right, customer "choice", and any number of other things.
The bottom line as far as I'm concerned is that I don't know whether or not MS does make the best product, because there was never any chance for real competition. The truth is, the way things are, WE WILL NEVER TRULY KNOW if MS was the best available.
I think it's time we all stepped back and really took a look at what's going on: MS's only competition is from a bunch of people who are developing systems in their spare time and, through copyright, made it impossible for MS to do anything but really compete.
And MS has had competition? Fucking ridiculous. It's going up against fucking activists. Linux is a fucking activist OS that is being used because there's no way to get anything any other way.
Cripes--the whole GPL might as well say "By the way: MS, and any other corporation that wants to take away my freedom, fuck off. I made this thing myself. It's mine. I say everyone can use it, not just you. Go fuck your monopolistic self."
Do you really think we would have the GPL if it weren't for MS? The fact the GPL EXISTS is a testament to the problems with MS and Windows.
MS has had competition? It's like saying that a dictator was elected because there are rebels banging on the door that the people could conceivably support if the dictator's guards weren't doing everything possible to kill the rebels in the first place.
Damn, I'm mad about this. I have to go do something else now.
Re:Good grief, where does it end? (Score:5, Interesting)
First of all, with Rh8, almost all of the examples you mentioned are not only possible in Linux, but quite simple. The print driver for my HP photosmart 1215 does not hang the machine like the windows version does, just to cite one example.
Second of all, if you think MS has won because of ease of use, you've already bought into the propganda. Ever since MSDOS was ripped off of CP/M, Microsoft has consistently been technically inferior to all of its competitors. From the GUI to groupware, every one of Microsoft's product efforts has been a poor copy of someone else's work. If you call Windows the easy to use solution, you have to say that BSODs and the regular cycle of format and reinstall are easy.
I was a CNE in a past life, and I saw first hand how MS got their market share. They send a representative to the CTO, and suggest that a license audit of all their windows workstations might be less difficult than converting their servers to NT. If this fails, they bribe the CIO/CEO, or engage in character assasination. Poof. Instant market share. The company's history is a prime example of bully tactics and practiced world domination.
You can argue this if you want to, but you would be opposing observation with opinion. I know. I was there.
Re:Good grief, where does it end? (Score:5, Insightful)
Go buy any old digital camera and try to download the pics on a RedHat system. Do it every day, works fine.
Go buy a DVD-R and try to burn a disc. Can't afford a DVD-R, but I'll bet it works great. I know every CD burner I ever tried does.
Go to any old website showing media (RealPlayer, QuickTime, Windows Media) and see how successful you are at viewing content. View RealPlayer and Windows Media regularly. Can do any kind of QuickTime except Sorenson, and could do that with either Crossover Plugin or a pirate solution if I actually cared.
Buy a Firewire DV Video Camera and see how successful you are in getting the video off and editing it. Hey, how rich do you think I am? But I have software that claims to do this job fine, and I have no reason to disbelieve it.
Try to visit a site that's made for IE. I can think of one site I've visited in the last 6 months that I needed IE to view. I can think of far more that could only be viewed with Mozilla, actually. Pop-ups, you know.
Go to the store and buy a game. Did it yesterday. They sell Linux games at Fry's now, you know.
Buy a PDA and get it to synch up. I've never synced with anything but my Linux box.
Your network card doesn't work, find somebody you know willing to come over and fix it. OK, you've got me there. All my network cards have worked :-). But seriously, I've helped a bunch of my friends with card problems under Linux: they don't seem any worse than with Windows to me. At least they don't ship outdated broken driver CDs for Linux: saves being suckered into installing them.
Overall, I think you've made a pretty good case that Linux is ready for the consumer.
Re:Good grief, where does it end? (Score:5, Interesting)
It's starting to happen. Just tonight, I was exchanging a faulty printer at the local Walmart. The gal behind the counter said that there'd been alot of printers coming back. I asked her why, and she said something like "They didn't have a Linux, or something like that".
She had no idea what they were talking about, so I explained it to her a bit - that Linux is sort of like another "Windows", like Mac, only it works on normal PCs. She nodded blankly, pushed the barcode gun, and handed me my receipt.
Maybe you don't remember the days when Apple "had the desktop" and PCs were "Hard to use" and "good for business and serious number crunching".
Maybe you don't see the parallels here, but I sure do. Linux is "hard to use" but "good for business and serious number crunching".
As I see it, Linux won't go bankrupt, won't just "go away" and gets better and better every year. Word of mouth is increasing, and people will make "free" work for them, eventually.
I'm Bored (Score:5, Informative)
So:
Go buy any old digital camera and try to download the pics on a RedHat system. [u-psud.fr]
Go buy a DVD-R and try to burn a disc. [fokus.gmd.de]
Go to any old website showing media (RealPlayer [real.com], QuickTime [codeweavers.com], Windows Media [mplayerhq.hu]) and see how successful you are at viewing content.
Buy a Firewire DV Video Camera and see how successful you are in getting the video off and editing it. [schirmacher.de]
Try to visit a site that's made for IE.
Go to the store and buy a game. (I'll give you these -- VmWare and other solutions are a serious bitch to setup, and don't work well except in certain Distros)
Buy a PDA and get it to synch up. [palmpower.com]
Your network card doesn't work, find somebody you know willing to come over and fix it. (Huh? If the card is broken, even your God(s) ain't/aren't gonna fix it.)
>The steps to do any of the above in Windows are very easy
Uhhh, sure... I mean, I mean, if you want to have every two or three DVDs come out as coasters (happens with Prassi Primo DVD for me) sure. Or if you want to use crappy outdated camera software that just lets you easily download one picture at a time through a slow ass serial connection, great (Fuji MX-1200). I've never done DV, but Kino doesn't look too hard. Or you can try Cinerella [heroinewarrior.com], which seems more full featured and easier.
>When a DVD-Burner manufacturer is swamped with "Uhh where's the Linux Drivers?"
DVD-R in linux doesn't use "drivers", unless you count the built in generic SCSI support built in linux (since well before DVD was available for most PCs) as a "driver". Try saying that about windows. Especially windows 9x...
HTH. And take it from me, there's NO software in windows that lets you use a Celeron 300 to burn DVD-R at 2x and surf the 'net at the same time.
Linux's motto should be "Spend some time now -- Then do more, quicker".
Re:Good grief, where does it end? (Score:4, Funny)
Sure, why wouldn't they trust them? I mean, look at their great new focus on security! [slashdot.org]
Re:Good grief, where does it end? (Score:5, Insightful)
Macs are cheap(er) now [apple.com]. Yes desktop models still cost you a few hundred bucks more than comparable PC models. However high-end notebooks with comparable features and peripheral capabilities are at right about the same price. Cuz in the end you can't build a dependable laptop with cheap parts. Dell did and it screwed me up big time [slashdot.org].
One software supplier? You can buy a mac and NOT run any apple software. Linux kernels, *BSD kernels, and many more unix flavors have all been ported to Mac CPUs. OS X still kicks the shit out of all those operating systems though because well, it just works.
oh and guess what? A whole lot of open-source applications "just work" under mac os x, thanks to the great "Fink" project, located at http://fink.sourceforge.net [sourceforge.net]. I myself have X11, Gnome, Gimp, xemacs, xchat and many more apps working on my OS X.
one software vendor ey? Well check this: Apple supplies the hardware AND the operating system, *optimized* to run in ITS OWN hardware. Guess what that gives you? A POWERFUL, stable, dependable machine that'll never let you down. Not to mention that the core of Apple's operating system is OPEN-SOURCE: that also gives you a SECURE and extendable platform.
Their fastest CPU does run at lower MEGAHERTZ than pentiums, it is still a superior architecture which gives you better performance for certain things, albeit not relevant to some users who desperately need fast-clocked boxes. Currently Apple is at 1.5Ghz. Not too bad i'd say.
With OS X, Apple is responsible for the most significant advance in computing since the original introduction of "The Mac".
Re:Good grief, where does it end? (Score:4, Insightful)
I don't feel like getting into this debate yet again, but just to correct at least some of the misinformation...
Yes desktop models still cost you a few hundred bucks more than comparable PC models.
Desktops are approximately twice as expensive for half the performance. Do the comparisons yourself. Yes, Macs get more speed per megahurtz. But only by about 20% on the average when you take an honest, large number of apps (versus Apple's out-and-out lies comparing only hand-picked applications, usually Photoshop).
Apple supplies the hardware AND the operating system, *optimized* to run in ITS OWN hardware.
Yeah, I know... of course a monopoly is going to do a better job than a large, healthy marketplace (man, the Mac rationalizations just never end).
Not to mention that the core of Apple's operating system is OPEN-SOURCE: that also gives you a SECURE and extendable platform.
Big whoop. The valuable part of the whole thing is not open source. Why do you think there are so many amateur kernels around? It's because it's not exactly rocket science.
Currently Apple is at 1.5Ghz.
Well, according to your link they're only up to 1.25Ghz. And look what they charge for it. The low end Macs are twice as much as PCs; the high end ones are at least 4x.
With OS X, Apple is responsible for the most significant advance in computing since the original introduction of "The Mac".
Oh? Apple's taking credit for Unix now? Figures.
Busted (Score:5, Interesting)
I love it. I mean, for the safety of your job, what would you say?
Re:Busted (Score:5, Funny)
The BEST part of it (Score:5, Funny)
My Question is (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Busted (Score:5, Funny)
a) have 257 new emails in your hotmail account (all spam)
b) have new updates that are ready to install (the ones that you installed last week)
c) have unused icons on your desktop (no I use them, that is why they are on my desktop)
d) really need to take that tour of windows XP that you've been putting off
e) have to click close on that nice spyware that keeps launching doubleclick and x10 ads because microsoft doesnt believe that the desktop full of unused non-updated icons really belongs to you.
Thanks for playing.
Funny tho... (Score:5, Funny)
Where's that photo of a 20-something geek with brown shaded glasses and a bad-collared shirt?
Hmm... (Score:5, Insightful)
Gotta clear some things up (Score:5, Funny)
1) M$ websites stating the advantages of IIS are served using Apache on Linux (or BSD, I don't remember which).
2) M$ PR firm employees have to be coaxed by M$ to switch the XP from their Apples because it has such great things as Office, IE, and multiple users that obviously aren't available in Mac OS X.
Man, with such convincing facts as those, I'm throwing away my Powerbook and switching to Windows!
Why track the IP address ??? (Score:5, Funny)
And this is helpful how? (Score:5, Insightful)
I doubt any national TV stations other than TechTV read slashdot, this can be seen pretty obviously. Time Magazine just published an article on the music companies using glue to seal in unrelased songs for publications to read... I was in awe because it finally made mainstream about a month after it was on Slashdot!
Excuse my rant, but it seems that Microsoft has done a pretty good job tucking this firmly under the proverbial carpet and I really doubt it will see the light of day again...
Re:And this is helpful how? (Score:5, Interesting)
Crispin
----
Crispin Cowan, Ph.D.
Chief Scientist, WireX Communications, Inc. [wirex.com]
Immunix: [immunix.org] Security Hardened Linux Distribution
Available for purchase [wirex.com]
Re:And this is helpful how? (Score:5, Funny)
Boss: Johnson! What are you doing?
Jonhson: Reading Slashdot, sir!
Boss: Good! I want your report on it by 5:00 tonight. And for the love of god, stop trolling those newbies!
Associated Press & Yahoo! News Aren't Mainstre (Score:5, Interesting)
Misdirected marketing on both parts... (Score:4, Interesting)
And getting people to switch from their Mac to Windows? Why even spend money on that effort? Windows machines may have been more difficult to use 15 years ago, but they've caught up... anyone who still thinks they are more difficult to use hasn't tried one.
In my experience as the "computer guy" in my circle of friends I find that 95% of their problems come from using crappy software (and stuff that installs spyware) or using crappy hardware (e-machines).
If you can't figure out the "start" button good luck trying to interface with OSX... (how is clicking start -> programs -> microsoft word harder than clicking Macintosh HD then searching around for your software? hm...)
Re:Misdirected marketing on both parts... (Score:5, Insightful)
The combination of Unix with a great UI and mainstream applications can be a benefit to just about everyone. If you don't think it's worth the cost, that's fine, but don't try to claim there's "absolutely no reason".
(how is clicking start -> programs -> microsoft word harder than clicking Macintosh HD then searching around for your software? hm...)
It probably isn't. On the other hand, you can "uninstall" an app by dragging it to the trash, without worrying about what DLLs will remain strewn about. And you can copy an app from one Mac to another by dragging and dropping (or "cp -r" if you like), rather than hunting for the install CD.
Re:Misdirected marketing on both parts... (Score:5, Insightful)
It's not that XP is hard to use.. since Win 95, none of the Windowses has really been hard to use... although administration and installation of certain options hasn't been easy.
The thing is the way that Apple tends to think of the little things. I configured dialup connections for my sister and my mother recently. They use XP and OS X respectively. The XP connection wasn't hard per se, but the Apple stuff was easy-breezy: orthogonal seeming, conceptually accesible, easy to find the appropriate controls, etc.
Between these finishing touches and the hardware/software integration, I think it's likely I'll prefer using Apple stuff at home for some time to come.
I've played with XP. Win 2k and XP do not suck. My opinion is that they're not as easy to use as OS X. And when things go south (they do on all computers), they're harder to fix...
Re:Misdirected marketing on both parts... (Score:5, Interesting)
The emphasis is no longer really on "easy to use." It is on "easy to setup and maintain." Windows installations (I don't care the flavor, it's true of XP, 2000 and 98) tend to slowly degrade, becoming more and more flaky until you're left with no choice but to reload.
Drivers are also a bloody pain in the you-know-what. Every time I have to reload Windows, I spend hours hunting around the net for drivers, then updating drivers, the downdating drivers, all to get everything to work together. (Good example: ati video drivers require directx 8, which you have to download running at 640x480 before you can install the driver.) Yes, I could keep the driver disks on-hand, but that's truly a pain in the but. A pain that i don't have to endure with my Macs.
The point being this: 10 years ago, the focus of ease of use was menus, mouses, and drag & drop. Today, the focus is on configuration and maintainability. And here the Mac clearly has MS beat. And yes, this IS because Apple owns the hardware - but I don't care so long as it works.
Re:Apple is easier to install and configure (Score:5, Insightful)
Microsoft is attempting to do the impossible -- support every PC and PC peripheral that has ever been shipped.
That's not true, actually. Windows has native support for a very small percentage of PC hardware and peripherals. They leave the majority of driver writing and device support to the hardware manufacturers, just like Apple does. Windows XP needs extra drivers for my scanner, just like OS X.
Even when MS does support hardware, it's not as easy as a Mac. For example, both Windows and OS X include drivers for my HP Deskjet. In order to setup the printer on Windows I have to:
To set up the same printer on a Mac you:
Macs aren't easier to configure because they support a more limited range of hardware. They're easier to configure because the OS behaves in a much more sensible fashion.
Dead people? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Dead people? (Score:5, Funny)
... and died?
Re:Dead people? (Score:5, Funny)
Of course they are ... what do you think they run in hell?
I'd just hate to be the SysAdmin of hell ... running Exchange and IIS ... just think of all the hacking going on there ...
Re:Dead people? (Score:5, Funny)
The boy finally whispers "I see dead people using Windows". -
Ironic... (Score:5, Funny)
But on topic, if they tracked her down, how 'bout a real photo of this person? Just for comparison's sake.
It looks like MS is trying to do a "save my face" operation here by spinning the story by (of course) a MS PR person.
Re:Ironic... (Score:4, Funny)
Man, I clicked that ad until I was blue in the face. I loved the irony of it. Hey malda! I just made you some more cash! Woohoo! Billy is paying for it :)
*big grin*
Man do I feel dumb. (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Man do I feel dumb. (Score:5, Funny)
Can I have your G4, then?
Re:Man do I feel dumb. (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Man do I feel dumb. (Score:4, Funny)
Please consider/remember (Score:5, Interesting)
These firms have a mandate from MS to spread out and hit hard. They lurk here and on ZDNet, as an example, just waiting for opportunities to impersonate Joe/Jane Average user.
They pump out hourly press releases that all have the same theme..."MS is best and who can fault a leader?...Join us in the fun and we will do all the thinking for you."
It is all too clear what they think of their customers...brain-dead sheep, begging to be sheared.
To understand the mechanics, it may help to first study a long standing 'marketing' ploy known as 'the big lie'. I don't normally use references like this, but the best manual I know is titled 'Rise and Fall of the Third Reich'.
"astroturf" and "microsoft" (Score:4, Funny)
What surprises me... (Score:5, Interesting)
Without getting too offtopic, I owned a Mac for awhile and wasn't too thrilled with it. Yes, it was usable, but the thought that kept repeating in my mind was "I can sell this on eBay and use the money to buy MUCH better hardware for my PC." - so I did. Do I regret no longer being "biplatform"? Nope...
It wasn't so much that I had anything against the Mac platform... I just didn't NEED it. My PC didn't give me any trouble and all the apps I use for doing what I like to do work fine on the PC. I guess if I felt the same way about the Macintosh to begin with, I wouldn't want to switch either and no amount of Microsoft fluff could change my mind. In the end, it just comes down to using what it is you like to use...
As a side note, I think some of you Slashdotters agree that you'd be more than willing to go "biplatform" if Macs weren't so expensive... There's a $199 Wal-Mart PC for the curious Mac users, where's the $199 Mac for curious PC users?
Re:What surprises me... (Score:5, Funny)
As a side note, I think some of you Slashdotters agree that you'd be more than willing to go "biplatform" if Macs weren't so expensive... There's a $199 Wal-Mart PC for the curious Mac users, where's the $199 Mac for curious PC users?
Same place they sell the $12,000 Mercedes Benz.
water held (Score:5, Interesting)
Just because these items eventually show up everywhere, doesn't mean that at one time they weren't exclusive to one manufacturer...and costly as well. That's the way it works. If you want the best when it first comes out, you have to pay for it. Ask anyone with a 60" LCD TV...or a home elevator, etc. Expensive now...commodity later.
Microsoft saved my job (Score:5, Funny)
One day I asked my boss for a new video camera for my Mac. He said "Remember, your paycheck comes from Microsoft, let's switch you for our new marketing campaign!"
So I switched.
And then my boss said "Hey, Microsoft wants to tell the world that you switched, but you're no prettier than those people Apple used. We wish you looked BETTER than Apple people."
And so they used some stock photos to give me a make over.
People have switched (Score:5, Funny)
But Why Did She Switch? (Score:5, Interesting)
1) The woman works at a PR firm--a business where Macintosh systems are fairly strong, albeit not quite as much as advertising and the graphic arts. So, what kind of Mac did she switch from? A crappy 6-year old Mac or something ancient? Hell, anything would make you switch from that.
2) By being a contractual employee of Microsoft, this ad really doesn't give MS a lot of credit for their product. Can't they simply find a relatively honest person to endorse? I mean, really! Not everyone hates Microsoft, and I'm sure there are enough people to say, "Sure, it works for me."
This can't be a good thing, and it only creates more alienation in a business where getting along still means a little something, if only to make friends before you merge your companies.
Re:But Why Did She Switch? (Score:4, Interesting)
Yes. [slashdot.org]
Marketing 101 (Score:5, Insightful)
Microsoft is living proof that with enough creative marketing, you truly can wrap a turd in colored foil and call it candy!
Some people may see this as insignificant in light of all the other corporate scandals in the world. However, it's just one more instance of Microsoft treating their customers and/or prospective customers as bafoons.
Many companies have fallen on hard times because they failed to respect the intelligence of their customers. The *only* thing keeping people from ditching Microsoft like a bad habit is the lack of anything comparable. That day will come, and Microsoft will surely rue it.
Valerie G. Mallinson in 20 Years (Score:5, Funny)
Valerie: "Yes, honey."
Daughter: "Did you like it, mommy?"
Valerie: "No, honey."
Daughter: "Why?"
Valerie: "It was for Microsoft."
"A spokeswoman from Apple would not comment" (Score:5, Funny)
"A spokeswoman from Apple would not comment"
Yeah - because she was still cleaning up all of the millk that she laughed through her nose.
Truth in Advertising, Breaking News on Slashdot (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Truth in Advertising, Breaking News on Slashdot (Score:4, Funny)
That's why I only buy products endorsed by people who e-mail me "special deals". If it weren't for these fine gentlemen, I never would have found out about Cock-Enlarging Herbal Viagra (guaranteed to make her scream), nor would have believed that Nubile Webcam Wenches would be Sucking and Fondling just for me. I'm not sure what spirit of benevolence caused you to mail me this amazing offer, but thank you, Friend. I mean, if you can't trust getabiggerdick@hotmail.com, who can you trust?
Ed Wood ad agency? (Score:4, Insightful)
Advertisers don't "get it" why Gen X isn't buying their crap. We have figured out that marketing and lying have become synonyms, and we don't like it. Anybody remember the movie, Crazy People? Dudley Moore wanted to use honesty in advertising, and they locked him up in the nuthouse. The ads worked, though.
Re:Ed Wood ad agency? (Score:5, Funny)
I can see it now...
Quick fade into rocket taking off. Cut to two 70's crash test sedans in a head-on collision. Horizontal wipe to atomic bomb detonating. Crossfade to fat guy taking a cannonball in the stomach. Star wipe to garish orange screen with Microsoft logo and "Where do you want to go today?" tagline. All done to the tune of cheap, generic classical music.
In a strangely Microsoftian twist, this'd all be done with iMovie, which would be revealed on Slashdot a few weeks later. The ad would be immediately pulled.
Re:Ed Wood ad agency? (Score:5, Funny)
"Look at the pretty colors"
"It doesn't lock up as much as previous versions."
"Look at the pretty colors"
How they traced her down (Score:5, Interesting)
$ strings ShowOffYourSkills.doc | less
/* truncated... */
Show Off Your Skills
Normal.dot
Katherine L. Trunkey
Microsoft Word 10.0
valmalgal.com
Show Off Your SkillsTitle
_PID_HLINKS
_AdHocReviewCycleID
_E
_AuthorEmailDisplayName
_ReviewingTo
Comments
Valerie Mallinson (Wes Rataushk & Assc Inc)
Microsoft Word Document
MSWordDoc
Word.Document.8
This "switcher" had her privacy compromised by Microsoft software. Her web site is not yet active but you can look up the "Wes Rataushk" firm to find that it is in Redmond. The following blog belongs to a coworker of hers, perhaps you could ask him more:
http://216.239.53.100/search?q=cache:ncxQ S-5T-OQC:www.pamkeesey.com/+Wes+Rataushk&hl=en&ie
-s.
not the first time a .doc has betrayed its creator (Score:5, Informative)
Behind the Lines (Score:5, Funny)
"But sir... we're running out of feet."
What is all this slashdot traffic? (Score:5, Funny)
Some switch (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Some switch (Score:5, Funny)
*Editor's Note: Now that we've successfully converted our writer to a Windows PC, we will be working on getting her to try a Pocket PC. Stay tuned for more developments!
Gosh, do you think they'll be able to get Valerie to 'try' a Pocket PC? After she's been a FREAKING PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT on the device? Too bad we'll never find out!
"Hidden" Personal Data (Score:5, Informative)
- _AuthorEmailDisplayName
property is set to- Valerie Mallinson (Wes Rataushk & Assc Inc)
I guess that's hidden if you don't know much about computers.Spot the similarities (Score:4, Insightful)
"I was skeptical that FatAway(tm) would work but I've dropped 47 dress sizes in two weeks -- George from New York"
Since I purchased my FastCash(tm) Work at Home Kit, I've earned over twelve trillion dollars in just one month -- Dick from Arkasas
etc, etc.
The interesting similarity between such testimonials and Microsoft's little works of fiction are:
Like most consumers, I only have so much money to spend -- so will I buy the breast enlargement cream or Windows XP? Hmmmm...
Be a Super-Sleuth! (Score:5, Informative)
Want to engage in real-life Kompooter Forensics just like AP does? Follow these easy steps!
1) Go to Google's cache [216.239.53.100] of the article, since it has now been pulled by Microsoft.
2) Now click on the link at the bottom of the cache page, which reads "Download the submission form in Word format." Whoops! Looks like those kid whizzes at Microsoft didn't actually remove everything!
3) Haven't made the switch to Microsoft yet? Word still new to you? No prob. Go to the 'File' Menu and select Properties while you are viewing the Microsoft Word document. Don't worry! No chmod here!
4) Peruse the tabs to uncover all of AP's 'personal data', including Valerie's zany new website [netsol.com]. You go, girl!
A freelance writer huh? (Score:5, Funny)
"I am a freelance writer; I demand the best in mobile computing."
But if you work for Microsoft PR, you can't be freelance now, can you?
Perhaps she was misquoted:
"I am writing promotion materials for Freelancer, a game which will demand the best in computing hardware"
why apple will never succeed... (Score:5, Funny)
I mean, look at the difference:
Apple: spends the better part of a year looking for interesting, off-beat, photogenic people. Then they read hundreds of emails. They hand-pick a bunch of folks and pay money to fly them out, coach them, then tape them. They put the ads on nationwide TV.
Microsoft: Somebody at Microsoft's PR firm picks up the phone and says "Hey, remember that writer, Valerie? And remember how the screen on her Mac Centris 610 finally died and she got that Windows laptop? .. What's that? .. Yeah that was funny.. though I probably I did the same thing the first time I used a CD-ROM .. But anyway, track her down and give her $500 to finish some copy for our new campaign. I've already got most of it written.. .. what?.. No, just put a stock photo like usual .. okay .. bye!"
How easy! That's why Apple will always be a "niche" player. They give a shit about stuff like this. Like the guy in college who actually wrote all his lab reports while everybody else just copied one from last year.
Microsoft Word 10.0 (Score:5, Funny)
I love this world.
Re:Microsoft Word 10.0 (Score:5, Informative)
* Breaking News * (Score:5, Funny)
Monday October 9, 2:04 pm ET
REDMOND, WA, Oct. 9
MS Mac User Converter®. MS Mac User Converter® is a product that converts a Macintosh® user
to MS Windows XP® user. "Our internal tests has been more successful than we had expected," said
Steve Ballmer, the CEO of Microsoft®. "If we can successfully convert all Macintosh® users to MS
Windows XP®, we're going to dominate 96% of the desktop market." Ballmer said. "Next step is to
convert all the Linux® users, but we still have some problems that needs to be solved. Linux® users
tend to be tougher to convert." Ballmer said.
Microsoft® can now add MS Mac User Converter® to their already successful list of innovations,
such as:
- MS Windows®
- MS Excel®
- MS Word®
- MS Powerpoint®
- MS DOS®
Microsoft® clearly shows the world that they're ahead of their competitors. "None of the competitorshave been able to launch a product like MS Mac User Converter®. This strengthens Microsoft®'s
position on the market" said Blackie Lawless, industry analyst for Gartner Dataquest's Software
Industry Research group®.
I have three questions... (Score:5, Interesting)
(2) Did she actually buy XP Pro and Office XP, or did she get that for free as an M$ contractor? That's some pricey software; she must be one hell of a freelance writer to afford it.
(3) Was the "switch" voluntary or was it part of a requirement for the campaign?
Name Change? (Score:4, Funny)
M$ needs to rethink their policy (Score:5, Interesting)
Microsoft will not share the information you provide with third parties without your permission except where necessary to complete the services or transactions you have requested, or as required by law.
Yeah, and they most definitely won't distribute a Word document to a half million geeks on Slashdot that shows among other things your name, your email address, your website (for which the whois provides all your information), and the fact that you wrote the article about switching to Windows using Office X on Mac OS X.
irony (Score:5, Insightful)
More about Val Mallinson (Score:5, Interesting)
http://www.ibike.org/bikeafrica/malawi/
Frankly the Microsoft Switcher article was embarrassing for a host of reasons besides the use of clip-art and a hired PR professional who is obviously an experienced user of Windows.
It's abundantly clear that Val has never used Mac OS X. All her raves about Windows XP were about features which exist - and are much easier to use - in Mac OS X.
For example, her excitement about being able to get Windows installed and configured "in under a day" is laughable. In 90% of cases Mac OS X can be installed and configured in under an hour.
Bringing up Netscape as if it was the default browser on Mac OS was likewise a foolish gaffe. Most Mac OS users (9 and X) use Internet Explorer 5 as their web browser. Why would Val have chosen Netscape? Could it be she had only used Mac OS 8/9 at work where Netscape was pre-installed?
Comparing the FREE AppleWorks to the $300-$500 Microsoft Office is a staggering faux pas - especially since Office v.X is generally considered superior to Office for Windows. (And who in the world likes Office's annoying hide-and-seek menus? I like my menus to stay consistent, and keep that feature turned off on my Windows box.)
Finally, all the step-by-step instructions for migrating documents and Favorites were a glaring exposure of the complexity of Windows XP. The instructions for the same migrations to Mac OS X are only half as long.
Alas, this was an amateurish article by an uninformed PR-lackey. Microsoft should know better than to try to pull the wool over our ever-watchful eyes.
leave M$ alone (Score:5, Funny)
surely, you can cut them some slack. ballmer is up late at night thinking of more ways he can attack linux/open source. with 40 billion in the bank, they just can't aford to do the necessary research and investigation. give them a break will you.
i'm sure there are plenty of people who'll testify that they learned how to program using "Learn Visual Basic" and are now working at a major software company.
who's that AP guy, anyway? (Score:5, Informative)
His name is Ted Bridis. I'll quote him here.So this guy, who's evidently been around the block a few times, thought this story was worth covering. That's saying something, I think.
He also says that the story could contine developing in the morning. He asks us to stay tuned.
Theft of Trust Should Be a Crime (Score:4, Insightful)
Bill Gates, Jan 15, 2002. [wired.com]
Really, Bill? Is that why you are disguising advertising as customer feedback? To promote trust? Or is it that customers trust each other more than they trust you, so you'll just pretend to be customers and steal some of that trust?
"Theft of trust" - that has a nice ring to it, don't you think? Or how about trust infringement, or trust piracy?
This isn't just a Microsoft thing, it's a good illustration of the absolute contempt people with a lot of money often have for the rest of the world. We are nothing, and lying to us means nothing. If you own enough of the law, getting caught doesn't even mean much.
Corporate America is cutting its own throat day after day. Whether it's inventing demographic data or telling accountants what to make 2 and 2 add up to, every crooked move blackens another tooth in the shining smile. Trustworthy Computing isn't going to be a commercial product, Bill, because you guys just can't be trusted.
You can VOTE for this story. (Score:5, Funny)
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Yahoo members, you can mod this one up!!!
W
I can see the *next* ad now. . . (Score:5, Funny)
KFG