Microsoft Bribing Bloggers With Laptops

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."

I'd just like to tell Microsoft

[Anonymous Coward]

That I'm a whore and can be bought. Please send my free laptop to:

Anonymous Coward
555 Mockingbird Lane
Anywhere, KS 51248

I look forward to "reviewing" Vista for you.

despicable

[wes33]

This is typical MS behaviour - entirely immoral and calculating ... and where do I sign up?

Who cares?

[MECC]

Is it ethical? Probably not.

A new laptop to run Ubuntu on? Who cares?

Credit where credit is due.

[brennanw]

When Microsoft decides to bribe a blogger, they don't screw around. Damn...

I would be protesting this blatant attempt to reward the faithful if my mouth weren't watering so heavily.

(This may be a secondary ploy -- not only do they get to reward the faithful, but all their blogging enemies die off in saliva-related drownings...)

good for them

[otacon]

sure beats the Pentium 133 16mb ram 1.0gb HDD laptop running debian with no X the FSF sent me.

I'm still waiting

[NetDanzr]

I'm still waiting for my free samples for reviewing porn movies. Shame on you, porn industry: Microsoft has overtaken you in innovation for the first time.

OS

[silentounce]

But do they run Linux?

Re:I'm still waiting

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm still waiting for my free samples for reviewing porn movies.

      As the producer of our new "Men on Men 5" project, we invite you to participate in this new all action gay porn movie, free of charge...

Re:How is this bribing?

[I(rispee_I(reme]

"stereo" being here used to mean, "A sound system that uses two or more speakers, presenting sounds in a natural way from the directions in which they were picked up by two or more microphones." I just woke up :D.

Re:top of the line?

[HMC CS Major]

PS: I blog about DUIs [fight-a-dui.com] all the time - if anyone wants to send me free beer [fight-a-dui.com], I'd really appreciate it.

Re:good for them

[zx-15]

Obviously you never used debian. It needs at least 24 MB of ram to run.

Re:How is this bribing?

[ronanbear]

Journalists have another boss and they are supposed to have professional standards. Bloggers are more easily bought.

If Microsoft didn't engage in astroturfing and sent out Microsoft products then people wouldn't blink. Instead bloggers are being put into ethical conflict just as much as if they took a cheque from Microsoft.

Re:despicable

[lucifig]

Make all of the jokes you want:

MS gives free laptops to bloggers...
Apple gives lawsuits...

I know which I'd prefer (even if it is an Acer)

Re:good for them

[sdcharle]

Yeahbut when you run the HURD on that that will be AWESOME!