What is Digg?94 Comments
- Tenlow, on 10/12/2007, -16/+87Everyone who complains is just mad they didnt get one too.
It's called marketing. Not a bribe. At worst it's poorly thought out because they obviously sent them to the wrong people. If apple had done this to promote leopard, we'd be hearing about how awesome of an idea it was. You'd think hating microsoft is the new black based on the reaction.
How the hell can you give out free laptops with free software on them and still be the bad guy? - cal0140, on 10/12/2007, -9/+44@gnutzu
"Geesh, how many people are going to have "$2,299" machines to run Vista on?"
Expensive hardware chosen specifically for its ability to run the OS? You mean like Macs...? - floppyparty, on 10/12/2007, -5/+40Ok people,
How would you like bloggers to review Vista? When the laptop is handcuffed to a Microsoft employee? Relax. If you are afraid your favorite blogger is compromised by a laptop, then why are you still reading his/her blog? - cyanid3, on 10/12/2007, -13/+34@ schestowitz: Get a life dude, don't spam in every ***** Microsoft-related topic. You're not gonna convert anyone to *nix here by spamming *****. You're better off distributing Ubuntu live cds at your local McDonalds.
- kremvax, on 10/12/2007, -5/+19If it was sent to a real journalist, it would be an ethics violation, pure and simple. No member of the NYTimes, WaPost, LATimes or any other major print source would be able to accept a "gift" like this and keep their job.
If bloggers want to be seen as "real" journalists, they'll ultimately have to practice some real journalistic standards and ethics. - nonesupplied, on 10/12/2007, -1/+13Clearly, there's a lot of debate over these laptops. Since it's my duty to serve my society, I'll glad take one of the laptops off their hands. It'll be tough for me, but I'm ready to take one for the team.
- kremvax, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12Actually, if they send it to a real journalist, it's a loaner review copy.
And a real newspaper would require the reporter to return the item when the article was finished. That's how it works here at the times. Anything else would be a conflict of interest. - drawkbox, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11So movies revies by critics, or music critics, or book reviews are all a "Scandal" as well? This is normal marketing behavior. Nothing scandalous to see here, move along now.
- kremvax, on 10/12/2007, -5/+14Just to be clear, the fault isn't Microsofts for offering the "indefinite period loaner items."
The fault lies with the reviewers who either fail to mention that they've been paid in goods to write a favorable review, or fail to return the "review" copy/hardware when the article was finished. It all comes down to ethics. If you don't have journalistic ethics, you're no kind of journalist. - formatreinstall, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10You know what stings? I'm with MS vista support (outsourced :( but still in NA), and while MS is giving away free laptops by the score to bitchy bloggers, NONE of the people directly supporting home users are getting even a nickel's discount on vista. No copy for home use. nada.
- chubbly0, on 10/12/2007, -5/+14How do you think *any* company encourages review sites/bloggers to review their latest and greatest item? By sending one to them free of cost. Thats exactly what is going on here, and has been for years. Contrary to the beliefs of a select few (annoying) digg users, Microsoft is just trying to get maximal exposure and buzz for a bread and butter product that they worked hard on. I don't see anything wrong with this. Is this any different then any other company who strives to stay alive?
- drakethegreat, on 10/12/2007, -6/+13Ya I'm sure that Pepsi is evil and so forth for having a taste challenge between pepsi and coke. OMG THEY GAVE ME FREE PEPSI! IT MUST BE A TRICK! Oh wait... Its more anti microsoft diggers that teach me how full of ***** both sides are.
- orbit1979, on 10/12/2007, -5/+11It has been awhile since I have read an article/blog that wasn't vehemently anti-Microsoft with no real reason/evidence to back it up. The author gives it credit were it is due and puts to rest the BS "scandal" that has been created by Linux zealots and mac fanboys.
Digg it. - brstilson, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6"If bloggers want to be seen as "real" journalists, they'll ultimately have to practice some real journalistic standards and ethics."
Wow, it's too bad Fox News won't take this advice - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -4/+9This isn't a scandal. get over it already.
Marked as inaccurate. - OBKenobi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Is this a Dick Cheney joke?
- kprobbins, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Also, it appears my spelling is horrible.
- HalBSure, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Another analogy. It's like Sony giving you a Blu-Ray machine to review and including a plasma TV. That you get to keep.
Or perhaps, Sony Pictures sending you a Blu-Ray copy of their latest movie release and a Blu-Ray machine for you to watch it on. That you get to keep. - Modulo, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4drawkbox, last I checked movie reviewers get free tickets to the movies, they aren't usually also given a theater to watch it in.
- CompUComp, on 10/12/2007, -5/+8No more is Microsoft mocked by the humiliating virus/spyware crap Mac and Linux users blab about. Just get Firefox, a descent anti-virus, and a computer user that is not an idiot downloading things he/she sees and POW, you got one kick ass system.
+dugg. - MacParrot, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3I agree with the majority that this is not a big deal. Most companies give out products to journalists for review and rarely do they want them back. Why? The answer depends. If the item retails for less than say $200, it isn't worth the time and expense to pay for an additional return box and shipping. If over $200, it might be worth getting back, but then what? It's now a used product that you can't sell new. So you take the tax write-off and move on.
I suppose you could get it back and send it to another journalist, but first you have to recondition the machine to make sure the first guy didn't screw it up, the machine is now a bit older and maybe there's something better ect. As a writer for a tech site, I get free stuff all the time. Not computers though darn it. I only wish Apple would seed some new Macs to tech websites, I'd take one in a shot. MS isn't evil for doing this, it's how the business operates. The real trick is to keep your objectivity while doing your reviews. - lazyguy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2You dont seem to understand. If microsoft said "We want this back" you would be less tempted to customize the laptop the way you want: the only way to truly experience the new operating system.
If someone told me I had to give back a PC after a few months, I wouldn't customize it the way I want, I wouldn't get too attached to it. I wouldn't download my porn onto it. You NEED to own it, in order to appreciate the OS. - GnuTzu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@geoken,
Most of the people who have such hardware can afford to do their own experimenting. However, those I see most often asking for advice don't have that kind of money to spend. - frankinla, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2come off it people. I seem to recall an episode of diggnation where KR was complaining the he had just got a powerbook G$, and then apple came out withe the macbook... within a couple of episodes, KR had a new macbook, gratis (or "exchanged").
If your bitchen about MS, then show me where you bitched about KRs macbook OR STFU! - OBKenobi, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5A more accurate analogy would be if the tobacco companies gave you a lifetime supply of free cigarettes in exchange for your promise to promote them. Would you convince others to start smoking, so you can keep getting your free cigarettes?
- Arkonnan, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4I'm surprised that no one is bitching about hardware review sites. The majority of them receive "review" goods in the hopes of getting favorable reviews. In fact, if the good reviews stop rolling in, so do the handouts. That's the way this game is played. Reviewers know this.
The only way you can be sure that a reviewer isn't shilling for handouts is if they buy their own hardware. - drilldown, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Try to buy the night. Common and effective tactic used by microsoft was previously giving free software to fortune 500 executives in order to compel all the rest of society to use that software in order to communicate effectively with "the boss" via e-mail etc. Common platform to be compatible.
Brilliant strategy. Giving Vistas loaded PCs to bloggers? Merely an extension of that strategy.
Marketing on Digg? Probably a good move. OH yes, this is marketing at its finest. M$ pissed off people in the interim. Frag the config.sys file on a microsoft system and it dies. Instantly. Threaten and scare people that their system may suddenly "die" if not decided automatedly to be legitimate. I lost something of infinite value on Valid load. I've done that load, lessee, 20 times on this system. I've lost all faith and trust in Microsoft.
Hey, they wanted public. Might as well say you loaded it seven times seven times in a row as that was one of the unannounced cut-offs for WinXP load-outs. Sure, I'll run Vistas, but, only because I ***** have to.
No, really, my new system won't be recognized by Linux for at least a year. Vistas sole benefit... It's on all the new systems. - dgh1973, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4"Yeah, and you better believe Blizzard wastes a good bit of time making it work on a mac rather than just a PC."
For 4.5 million dollars a month (that's a rough estimate of 5% of 6 million players times $15) I'm sure they aren't complaining too much.
At any rate, prove what you are claiming. Prove how difficult it is to cross port software using open API's.
Here's my submission:
http://podcast.linuxgames.com/05_Linux_Games_Podcast_5.mp3
A developer from id talking about how easy it is to recompile their titles under different platforms with minor glitches surrounding sound on Linux. Stop babbling and backup what you are saying. - zensei, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Given that Microsoft has been dogged in the press over the development of Vista, it only make sense that they appeal to bloggers for reviews by marketing the product on a high-end machine. That's a smart move on their part to 'save face'. The smarter move with John Q. Public? Cut the upgrade costs on the OS, and work with OEM's to make machines more accessible to those who don't have $4000 to burn!
- ekso, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1This is a scandal:
http://digg.com/software/A_Cost_Analysis_of_Windows_Vista_Content_Protection - xsecretfiles, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1What do you all want then?
Should we go get and Impeach Bill Gates?
Should we Hang him?
Death Sentence? - TheReport, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4"They are desperately trying to get the news off of the REAL scandal involving the top brass at Apple."
Thats only cause we are still reeling from Microsoft's coercive contracts with OEMs ensuring that every computer I buy will come preinstalled with the Operating System you guys so love. - rynoon, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1*reads the above two posts*
Do Macs emit a mind-altering signal which forces users to make stupid, unfounded remarks about the competition or are you two just idiots? - BlackAdderIII, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I don't see what's unscrupulous about a review loan, which is what this amounts to.
That's from someone who's already been given a very bad impression of Vista by trying to mould app support through the betas. Like any open-minded person, I think a product stands or falls on its own merits.
Hell, I'd probably be a 9 out of 10 on the "not fond of microsoft's attitude, and not impressed by the turn its products have taken since DOS", and a 10 out of 10 on the "Open source zealot" scale too, but I don't think this is ANY kind of scandal.
If anything, it stinks of hysteria and FUDding the very *real* concerns about Microsoft's history, behaviour and attitude - yet again. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Ah, so you don't accept any free products from any source for any reason, right? What about music industry where lables and groups give free CDs to radiostations and reviewers. What about Dell and HP giving laptops and systems to computer reviewers? What about the people giving out free samples in the foodcourt and grocery store?
You are just a ***** hypocrite. - Zanneth, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1This isn't a scam, but rather a clever little trick that Microsoft is doing to receive more positive reviews for Windows Vista. The bloggers will be pleased with Microsoft's generosity and will tip the scales in Microsoft's direction once they start reviewing.
- exodii, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I can't believe Microsoft gave them to .... BLOGGERS! of all people!
Bloggers are all whiny bitches that are full of crap.
I hate M$, but you know what? I feel for them this time. These bloggers should stop acting like babies. - OBKenobi, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3[quote]In my opinion people who attempt to bribe others aren't doing anything "wrong". The people that take the bribe and do the song and dance are the real wrong-doers.[/quote]
Did you ever think they could BOTH be wrong?
Still, you can take the bribe, if it's not going to change your opinion. Hell, I'd take a free $2000 laptop. I'd uninstall Vista, but there's nothing wrong with the hardware.
Um... unless MS put some kind of M$WGADRMWTFBBQ chip in it to spy on the bloggers? :P
Have they checked the laptops for bombs?
Polonium 210?
M$ cooties? - bubba9999, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1If Microsoft wanted to avoid a scandal, they would have loaned the laptops out for a review and asked for them to be returned, not simply give them away. Any review based on a freebie is tainted, regardless of the faith you have in the reviewer, whether it's a $3000 computer or a $20 item. You just don't know if the review is skewed one way or another.
This is one of the reasons that Consumer Reports doesn't accept advertising or freebies. - geoken, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3@GnuTzu
"Geesh, how many people are going to have "$2,299" machines to run Vista on?"
How many people have 2ghz Athlon's, with 2g of ram and an x1600? I'd say plenty. A $600 Dell could match the specs of that Acer Ferrari. A large part of it's cost goes to the HD-DVD drive which doesn't affect Vista's performance whatsoever. The price is listed because it sounds more alarming then simply stating the truth, namely that these are mid range systems and the specs are nothing spectacular. - lazyguy, on 10/12/2007, -6/+7I think they'd rather have the bloggers talk about the gift and say how great it is.
They only included "you dont HAVE to" in order to seem like they arent trying to attention whore. At least, thats my perspective. - drilldown, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Insider trading?
Could I be held liable! OMG, now I'm frightened.
:-/ - drilldown, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I reserved 7G of unformatted HD for someone to ask that question. It's waiting in the wings.
- DigiRaven, on 10/12/2007, -13/+13what the hell is wrong with you people? I'm willing to bet if this was apple I would see headlines on digg saying it was a gift from God but from Microsoft its a scandal. Take the gift and review it. Don't complain about it. And for the ones who complain that did not get one and masking their feeling of hatred towards Microsoft. suck it
- sw0rdfish, on 10/12/2007, -5/+5Holy *****... people bitch about EVERYTHING these days...
The practice of people getting product from a vendor to try has been going on FOREVER... you people actually think this is something new?
It's amazing what people like to focus on these days, jesus. You know Ford gives cars to Road and Track too... yes sometimes they ask for them back, but sometimes they give them away. - cesclaveria, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1what kind of system do you have to Linux take so long to support it?
- inactive, on 09/28/2008, -0/+0This could mean that maybe, just maybe, there's still a chance that their monopoly could be broken some day and that could be good news for a lot of geeks
http://www.adidasshoess.com - dgh1973, on 10/12/2007, -5/+5"You mean more games and killer apps for Macs/Linux/etc. All its going to do is waste more of developers time making it compatible with more operating systems."
No, I mean if they do it right they just recompile it on a windows system and boom, windows binaries. Compile it on a Mac and boom, Mac binaries. Depending upon how the apps are written this can be fairly straight forward to do... idsoftware has been doing it for years now. Blizzard did the same thing... maybe you've heard of a game that not too many people play called "World of Warcraft"? Nah, I guess not.
"I think this poor attempt to manufacture a "scandal" shows that most anti-MS folks are getting a bit concerned about Vista. Immature pot shots at the OS hasn't done beans to keep people from wanting to use it, so it's time to just plain sling some mud."
No one has to manufacture immature pot shots at Vista, delayed releases, reduced features, and bloated hardware requirements have done enough damage in that regard. - drilldown, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Dual processor with high def surround and decent Nvidia G-Card. I'm given to understand that Nvidia and dual processors don't get along under Linux. BIOS folded under load-out, Edgy Eft. NOT duo, dual processors. PentiumD.
- verycool, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Scandel? or a free commerical for Microsoft. Didnt someone say all advertising is good advertising?
-- Tony
-- http://www.ashareware.com -
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