------ Forwarded Message From: "The New York Times Direct" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: "The New York Times Direct" <NYTDirect at nytimes.com> Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 15:38:25 -0500 To: robert.klein at insightbb.com Subject: Circuits: A New Microsoft Blunder
Search NYTimes.com Today's News Past Week Past 30 Days Past 90 Days Past Year Since 1996 IN THIS E-MAIL ? This Week in Circuits: Digital Magic on Broadway <#1> ? Self-Publishing: Books for the Asking <#2> ? State of the Art: A Two-Button Palm <#3> ? Basics: Internet by Satellite <#4> ? Online Shopper: Up Against the Wall-to-Wall <#5> ? Game Theory: Mickey, Goofy, Donald and You <#6> ? What's Next: A Chip of Rubber <#7> Classical Music Over the Web Listen to America's best classical music station through your computer. Get music, news and New York Times correspondents all day, every day. Listen Now <http://www.nytimes.com/ref/wqxr/WQXR-SPLASH.html?8cir> Thursday, October 17, 2002 Ad Campaign Leaves Pie on Microsoft's Face People accuse Microsoft of devious tactics all the time. Microsoft generally denies the accusations ? after all, they're flanked by the best lawyers that money can buy. This week, though, Microsoft gave itself a big, goopy pie in the face. On Oct. 9, the company posted a testimonial on its Web site called "Confessions of a Mac to PC Convert." It was a first-person account by a "freelance writer" about how she had fallen in love with Windows XP. She compared the operating system to a Lexus. "I was up and running in less than one day, Girl Scout's honor," burbled the attractive, 20-something brunette in the photo. There was only one problem: She doesn't exist. A with-it member of Slashdot.org, the popular hangout for articulate nerds, happened to notice that the woman's picture actually came from GettyImages.com, a stock-photo agency. Associated Press reporter Ted Bridis took it from there. He tracked authorship of the article to one Valerie Mallinson, a public-relations woman hired by Microsoft to write the story. Microsoft was caught red-handed. I was dying to find out how this public-relations fiasco came to pass, but Microsoft spokesman Tom Pilla would speak only in Officialese. "The article was mistakenly posted to the Microsoft Web Site," is all he would tell me. "Once we realized that it wasn't part of the Windows XP marketing activities, we pulled it. It's an unfortunate situation, and we take responsibility." No wonder Microsoft has become a laughingstock online. "Once we realized . . . ?" Hello? Exactly how disconnected are the right and left hands of Microsoft's marketing organization? And then there's the feebleness of the ad itself. Not only is it a childish attempt to mimic Apple's "Switch" campaign, but Microsoft's bogus customer is hopelessly misinformed. "AppleWorks pales in comparison to Microsoft Office XP. There's no equivalent for the versatility of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint," she writes, evidently never having heard of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint for Macintosh. Then she makes it worse: "Internet Explorer 6 does more for me than Netscape Navigator ever did. . . . I can name and organize my Favorites any way I want." First of all, Internet Explorer is on the Mac, too. Second, had Ms. Fictitious ever, in fact, used Netscape Navigator, she might have realized that it, too, permits naming and organizing bookmarks. To be sure, the online community is wasting no time in rubbing these gaffes in Microsoft's face. But nobody's mentioning the most disturbing part of all this: That it's part of a longer string of fraudulent Microsoft marketing efforts. In 1998, the Los Angeles Times reported that Microsoft, during its antitrust trials, hired PR companies to flood newspapers with fake letters of support, bearing ordinary individuals' names but actually written by Microsoft PR staff. Payments were funneled through Microsoft's PR company so that the checks couldn't be traced. Later, during the antitrust trials, Microsoft attempted to prove the inseparability of Windows and Internet Explorer by showing the judge a video. There was only one problem: The government's lawyer noticed that as the tape rolled on, the number of icons on the desktop kept changing. Microsoft sheepishly admitted to having spliced together footage from different computers to make its point. And now a phony testimonial illustrated by a photo bought from a stock-art agency. What does all of this say about a company's corporate psyche that it feels the need to fabricate evidence of the public's love? Maybe Microsoft is jealous of the genuine affection Mac fans seem to exhibit for their machines. Or could it be that the company somehow feels rejected by the quirky (and as far as anyone can tell, real) people in Apple's "Switch" ads. But more likely, Microsoft's latest blunder demonstrates neither jealousy nor wounded pride ? it's pure arrogance. The company thinks it can get away with anything. This time, at least, it's wrong. A screen shot of the original Microsoft ad can be viewed at: http://www.scripting.com/misc/msSwitchAd/lies.jpg. Visit David Pogue on the Web at DavidPogue.com <http://www.davidpogue.com> . 50% Off New York Times Home Delivery Enjoy the award winning journalism of The New York Times with the added benefit of convenient home delivery. Now you have another chance to get 50% off for the first 8 weeks. Pay by credit card and you'll also receive 4 additional weeks at this low introductory rate. That's 12 weeks in all! Subscribe today! THIS WEEK IN CIRCUITS Digital Magic on Broadway Computers are now offering new technical possibilities and increased precision for Broadway shows. ? Interactive Graphic: It's Showtime <http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/technology/20021017_THEATER/theater.ht ml?8cir> Books for the Asking Each year, thousands of new authors use the digital services of print-on-demand publishers. Most have modest goals, but some dream of the best-seller list. State of the Art: For a Two-Digit Price, a Two-Button Palm Palm's latest palmtop, bizarrely called the Zire, is the most stripped-down palmtop you can buy. For some people, simplicity trumps all. ? Forum: Discuss New Home Electronics <http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?50@@.f16bec4> Basics: Internet by Satellite Living without a high-speed online connection can be onerous. But there is a wireless option: satellite service. ? Graphic: Moving to the Fast Lane <http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2002/10/17/technology/20021017_BASICS_GRA PHIC.html?8cir> Online Shopper: Up Against the Wall-to-Wall In interior decor, it's best to have a friend in the business. But some help can be found on the Web. Game Theory: Mickey, Goofy, Donald and You Disney collaborates with Square, maker of Final Fantasy, on the unconventional Kingdom Hearts. What's Next: A Chip of Rubber, With Tiny Rivers Running Through It Circuits that route fluids, not electrons, could be the building blocks of a new kind of chip. ? More From This Week's Circuits Click Here to Receive 50% Off Home Delivery of The New York Times Newspaper. About This E-Mail You received this message because you signed up for NYTimes.com's Circuits newsletter. To change delivery or format options, sign up for other newsletters or unsubscribe, please go to the E-mail Preferences page in our Member Center at: http://www.nytimes.com/email <http://www.nytimes.com/email?8cir> . Suggestions and feedback are welcome at feedback at nytimes.com. How to Advertise For information on advertising in e-mail newsletters or other advertising opportunities with NYTimes.com, contact onlinesales at nytimes.com or visit our online media kit <http://www.nytimes.com/adinfo?8cir> . 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