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.")
Busted (Score:5, Interesting)
I love it. I mean, for the safety of your job, what would you say?
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...)
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'.
Re:Google cache still works? (Score:1, Interesting)
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]
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?
Associated Press & Yahoo! News Aren't Mainstre (Score:5, Interesting)
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.
Corbis Corporation (Score:3, Interesting)
If a picture says a thousand words, then Corbis is one loquacious company. Founded and owned by Microsoft chief Bill Gates, Corbis holds the rights to more than 65 million images, putting it neck and neck with Getty Images as the largest such archive in the world. The company licenses its library for use in print and electronic media, including more than 2 million digital images available online to professionals and consumers alike.
Getty:
The leading supplier of stock images for business and consumers has an archive of 70 million still images and illustrations and more than 30,000 hours of stock film footage...The Getty family owns about 20% of the company.
Bigger players are forced to switch to MS (Score:2, Interesting)
I spoke with sysadmins, who told me that Microsoft audited their IS department on a regular basis to make sure that whatever Microsoft police decided to die is dead indeed.
Compared to that this documented switch is just the tip of the iceberg.
I really wonder that these incidents should also be included in the Microsoft anti-trust trial.
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.
Re:How they traced her down (Score:1, Interesting)
Organization:
Valerie G Mallinson
Valerie Mallinson
820 NE 180th St
Shoreline, WA 98155
US
Phone: (206) 612-9084
Email: valmalgal@attbi.com
Registrar Name....: Register.com
Registrar Whois...: whois.register.com
Registrar Homepage: http://www.register.com
Domain Name: VALMALGAL.COM
Created on..............: Tue, Apr 02, 2002
Expires on..............: Wed, Apr 02, 2003
Record last updated on..: Tue, Apr 02, 2002
Administrative Contact:
Valerie G Mallinson
Valerie Mallinson
820 NE 180th St
Shoreline, WA 98155
US
Phone: (206) 612-9084
Email: valmalgal@attbi.com
Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
Register.Com
Domain Registrar
575 8th Avenue - 11th Floor
New York, NY 10018
US
Phone: 902-749-2701
Fax..: 902-749-5429
Email: domain-registrar@register.com
Domain servers in listed order:
DNS15.REGISTER.COM 216.21.234.78
DNS16.REGISTER.COM 209.67.50.246
Re:Google cache still works? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Good grief, where does it end? (Score:4, Interesting)
*snicker*
I'm actually being serious, it's get my $10.
Did Microsoft hint at it? (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Busted (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:The truth be told (Score:2, Interesting)
I loved the Amiga too, but the UI of the Amiga wasn't all that cool. POTENTIALLY cool, but in practice it sucked. The Macintosh had it beat as far as usability goes.
Re:Google cache still works? (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:Misdirected marketing on both parts... (Score:3, Interesting)
I don't believe that was the case in 9, and I'm sure it's not in X.
There are other things, like extensions being left around... and we all know that extensions NEVER, EVER, EVER cause system conflicts. Basically it's the DLL hell all over again, just renamed.
Nope. Mac OS X uses "file wrappers", which essentially allow a folder to appear as a single file at the UI level. This lets you include localized resources, graphics, supporting libraries, etc. in (from the user's perspective) a single file. Drag it to the trash, and it's really all gone. The worst that happens is that you're left with a stray prefs file in ~/Library/Preferences, which is harmless. And Mac OS 9-style extensions are thankfully gone in X.
Re:But Why Did She Switch? (Score:2, Interesting)
Apparently not.
It's telling that they couldn't find one single person that would give a testimonial.
Have you ever thought that possibly every one of the "MS supporters" you see online are actually paid to astroturf?
Reboot after Windows Update (Score:3, Interesting)
Start, and maybe even finish
That's part of the problem. You click the Start button to Stop the computer.
I really can not think of any way that the OS could contribute to make me more productive.
How about being compiled specifically for your processor's microarchitecture? Public-source operating systems (such as GNU/Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD, and Darwin) can provide this, and operating systems designed to run only on one or two microarchitectures (i.e. Mac OS X, which runs on PowerPC G3 and G4) can provide this. Can Windows?
I don't recall having XP crash (needing a reboot) in about a year now
What about when it goes and downloads a patch to its networking stack, IE, the J?v? VM, or Outlook Express? Granted, that's not a crash, but it still needs a reboot.
If you are really desperate, you can skin XP to make it look like Aqua.
Go to jail, go directly to jail, do not pass Go, do not collect $200.
Re:Misdirected marketing on both parts... (Score:3, Interesting)
They are easier to use. Try doing a drag & drop install or un-install on a Windows box for most of your software.
Oh, btw, I keep my Applications folder in my Dock which means I get a context-menu for launching applications just like the Windows Start Menu and it even speeds up my drag & drop installs because all I have to do is drop them on that folder in the Dock.
Re:How they traced her down (Score:2, Interesting)
more privacy invasion (Score:2, Interesting)
she and her husband helped produce a play [reacttheatre.org] featuring ugly, naked people at a local seattle theatre house. he was the lighting manager.
here's all his contact information [cimpa.org], including his seattle based theatrical lighting equipment company, PNTA [pnta.com]
and yes folks, his web site is powered by Apache [netcraft.com].
Valerie's husband is an Open Source Software user. looks like she has her work cut out for her.
-s.
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.
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.
Re:But Why Did She Switch? (Score:4, Interesting)
Yes. [slashdot.org]
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?
Re:Microsoft Word 10.0 (Score:3, Interesting)
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.
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.
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.
You are so right my friend (Score:5, Interesting)
You see just how simple that plays out.
Re:Google cache still works? (Score:4, Interesting)
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:2 Years? (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Google cache still works? (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Good grief, where does it end? (Score:3, Interesting)
1) Microsoft gained some of their position through monopoly. This would include the browser, etc. IIRC, they did put in incompatibilities with other systems in the early days of Windows (read: 90-95), but I wouldn't say they were big enough to be called a monopoly -- Apple had a good chunk of the market until the AOLers (read: typical users) came onto the scene.
2) Microsoft isn't *all* bad. Forced standards are at least standards. They suck, but it's better than outright chaos, at least in the short term.
3) Settle down, Jimmy! I completely agree with most of what you posted. I'm a Microsoft and tech history buff, and what you speak is true for the most part. However, Microsoft is not as evil as certain other corporations (pharmaceuticals, maybe?). They're very, very stupid (read: the article this thread is in reply to), and they'll lie and cheat to sell their mother's eyes. And it boggles my mind. But it's not the end of the world, OSS will eventually win out. Why? Because it's a small niche right now and it can actually compete. But that's another thread...
Re:Google cache still works? (Score:3, Interesting)
I respect your opinions but understand this--
My parents had a Windows 95 system which would break at least once a month, and my parents would need additional tech support at least another time every month. So every couple weeks, I would have to drive over to my parents' house and fix their system or help them over the phone. This was fine when I was studying for my A+ cert, but when I started going on to the MCSE and LPIC exams it became a problem.
So I built them a new computer and put RedHat 6.1 on it. I carefully placed icons on the desktop so they could get to Netscape, KMail, KPPP, and StarOffice, and gave them a 5 min. tour of GNOME. Now they are on RedHat 7.2, but are using KDE because GNOME crashed. They still call me for tech support when something actually breaks, but hey, they don't know what root is for, so that doesn't happen very often
And as much as I love RH8, the homogeneity of KDE and GNOME is a bit of an issue I admit
But regarding MCSE, I still consider it to have been very helpful in my technical development (because I only used braindumps on one exam). If you study for it well, you CAN get something out of it (aside from the Network Infrastructure exam, where some of the networks look like they were designed by a 5-year old). In fact I think it is an excelent compliment to the LPIC exams (I am MCSE and LPIC-2 certified).
Good Luck!
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.
More switchers than you think. (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:Google cache still works? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Google cache still works? (Score:3, Interesting)
Why did MS do something this dumb?
Because Microsoft leadership is a bunch of arrogant pricks who think that they're oh-so-brilliantly superior to the rest of the world, and thus believe they can pull a stunt like this and get away with it.
Remember the doctored MS videotape in the antitrust trial that "proved" removing IE from Windows would seriously impact its peerformance? Same thing -- Microsoft figures, "hey, you're all morons, you'll believe whatever we tell you," and they get caught with their shorts down when a thinking audience shreds their efforts.
Of course, it must work to some degree -- those Winlot zombies trolling the boards aren't being created out of thin air...
Re:Google cache still works? (Score:4, Interesting)
They do have a website feedback page, and they promise a response within 24 hours.
It's been 12 hours so far since they received this from me:
{{{
Why did you remove the "switch" testimonial?
The story about that female writer (with the unfortunate name Don Funk according to that dialog box demonstrating how easy it was for her to do things in XP) who switched from Mac to XP was most interesting, but magically disappeared when I was half-way through reading it (I was going 'back' and 'forward' in the browser, which seemed to cause the page to reload)?
}}}
If they do reply, I'll post it here, and if they don't I'll write another one, asking why they also break promises about reply times.
THL.
Re:Good grief, where does it end? (Score:1, Interesting)
do they know that running linux will eliminate users installing elf-bowling, and animated screen savers and websshots which all either hurt stability or increase internet bandwidth costs?
If you are a consultant and you do not educate your clients in these problems with microsoft products, you are not acting in their best interests.
RH 8.0 out of the box fit's their bill perfectly.
groupware calendaring, outlook type clone, office.
plus they no longer need to waste money and processing power on a virus scanner. and you can cut the costs even further by utilizing a terminal server instead of running everything on seperate machines... imagine installing OO.o once and every workstation is updated.... do THAT with microsoft.
What Small Businesses are YOU talking About (Score:3, Interesting)
My clients are generally sole proprieterships who are getting on the web. Very few have the $60k to dump into "An Exchange Server, a MSSQL server, and a Dell Rack Mount running Win 2k." Their budget is a white-box athlon running RedHat and MySQL.
They will pay for hardware, because you generally purchase it once and it has a clear ROI. Most small business owners I deal with are delighted to find they don't have to pay for the software, beyond my time to customize it. Very few if any actually have any IT staff, so training is less of an issue than "can this machine run unattended for months at a time?"
Re:More about Val Mallinson (Score:2, Interesting)
Although this isn't all that surprising.
Ask Val? (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Curious quesiton. (Score:2, Interesting)
But they're RUINING the Internet experience for anyone other than those on the platforms they favor. They've "embraced and extended" critical standards for their own advantage (i.e. screwed them up beyond all recognition). As anyone who has worked with SMB will attest, they leave out important technological facts in the specifications that make the term "Common Internet Filing System" (CIFS) a bitter joke. They've coerced the world's computer makers into including their software on most of the new machines sold. They're thriving on technology that they've "adopted." Their security? Laughable, if it weren't so serious. To adapt a line from Peter Bogdanovich's "Paper Moon": "If they've got something cool, you can bet it belonged to somebody else." The majority of their products reek of "The Microsoft Touch" Their products are like a sexually attractive person with a bad dose of the clap.
Again, if they were the best at ANYTHING technological--besides Exploder and their mice, I guess--it would be different. But their work is consistently bloated, shoddy and oversold. They have no problem polishing a turd to make a buck. They just seem to don't know a turd when they see one.
"...No taste," as someone said.
They deserve to be slapped by the federal antitrust court and slapped HARD. They are a drag on the industry as far as innovation is concerned and now they're applying the Microsoft Touch to "The Big Lie." What's next?
Bravo to Slashdot for catching them. Shows the power of thinking for yourself.