Michael Jennings - A guy that loves Microsoft

[Bill Sconce]

On Thu, 20 Mar 2003 08:58:10 -0500 (EST)
bscott at ntisys.com wrote:

> On Thu, 20 Mar 2003, at 8:12am, sconce at in-spec-inc.com wrote:
> > Windows XP Shows the Direction Microsoft is Going.
> > http://www.hevanet.com/peace/microsoft.htm
> > 
> > It's long, illuminating, and thought-provoking.  One almost can't
> > believe that it's all true.

[Oops.  I was trying to make a humorous play on an earlier posting.
Evidently it would have been wise to have inserted a smiley at this point.
This list is so SERIOUS.  See what's about to happen below...]

 
>   It should be understood that the article in question is propaganda ("FUD"  
> in Slashdot terms).  Like all good propaganda, it contains truths,
> half-truths, and lies in an artful mixture. 

OK.  Understood.  It's propaganda.



> It happens to be on our side
> for a change, but that doesn't make it into something else. 

Er, right again.  ("Make it into something else"?)


> It is extremely
> biased, and plays up the flaws in Microsoft products, while ignoring known
> deficiencies in Linux.

Still right.  It's propaganda.

 
>   I am not saying one should not use this article, but one should certainly
> be aware of what it is.

We're beginning to get the idea.


>   I also find it ironic (but not surprising) that, when Microsoft posts
> something like this, everyone goes bananas, but when it supports our stance,
> we endorse it.  :-)

"We" do?  Who do?

=========================================
Seriously (and after an abject acknolwedgement that the thing is
biased, inflammatory propaganda), I note that "propaganda" != "FUD".
Depending, among other things, on whether any references are given.

I rely on propaganda myself - most of us do.  Our résumés are propaganda.
A document can contain 100% truths and be propaganda.  (Or 0% and be
pure FUD.)

If you're interested, Ben, we might contribute some light by checking
the references in Jennings's paper.  Want to take up a little off-list
project with me, help do some research and prepare an inventory, and
report back here with the results?

-Bill
(who is admittedly steamed over the idea of software
which surreptitiously reports back to the mother ship)