So we received one of the Microsoft computers the other day that everyone’s been screaming about. I don’t think this is much of a scandal, because Microsoft is being pretty open about exactly what they are doing – giving away computers loaded with Vista to bloggers in the hope that they are more likely to write about it. Here’s the email they sent out:
Michael,
I’m working on getting some review PCs out to community bloggers, and wanted to include you. I’d love to send you a loaded Ferrari 1000 courtesy of Windows Vista and AMD. Are you interested?
This would be a review machine, so I’d love to hear your opinion on the machine and OS. Full disclosure, while I hope you will blog about your experience with the pc, you don’t have to. Also, you are welcome to send the machine back to us after you are done playing with it, or you can give it away to your community, or you can hold onto it for as long as you’d like. Just let me know what you plan to do with it when the time comes. And if you run into any problems let me know. A few of the drivers aren’t quite final, but are very close.
If you are game, would you send me your address and phone? I’m going to send this out next week, so if you will be travelling on the 22nd let me know where you’ll be, and I’ll send it there.
Thanks,
xxxxxxx
This email came from a Microsoft employee, not Edelman, so I don’t have any reason to believe Edelman was involved. And even if they are, I think it’s a brilliant move.
And anyway it doesn’t really matter. Microsoft did something smart, because many of us wouldn’t have taken the time to download and install Vista on our own computers. The fact that it was delivered to us, ready to go, made it a lot easier.
I spent about two hours on the machine the other day, testing out the software. Frankly, I’m pretty impressed, and I’m a hard core Mac guy. I really like that the Live widgets sit on the desktop all the time, instead of behind a hot key like they do on Macs, for example.
The only scandal would be in a blogger who received a computer decides to keep it and then writes about Vista in a positive way and doesn’t disclose the situation. Otherwise, there isn’t much of an issue.
I’m not sure what we are going to do with the computer yet. We may give it away on CrunchGear, although our analyst, Nick, has his eye on it as well.
But whatever we do with it, it’s clear that Vista has come a long way since the pre-release betas. It’s a kick ass operating system.
If you happen to be running it on a $4,000 computer, at least.
I just got an email asking me to send mine back after all! http://marshallk.com/microsoft-wants-its-laptops-back
Mike,
Nicely done. Full disclosure. Microsoft is doing some good marketing with this approach. They make it clear that no strings are attached. You can’t expect any more of them, IMHO. They will also get a lot of bad press but it’s still a good gesture and your review will make others tale a look.
Hehe, the only “scandal” is that I didn’t get one!
That’s what all those people are screaming about; if they had gotten one, they wouldn’t be whining
Hey MS… hook me up with a Vista machine
… I’ll blog about it. I’ll even keep an open mind.
I’ll probably play with Vista for about a month and then donate it to charity though.
I’d blog it either way tough…. if I don’t like it I’m not goign to hold back any criticism.
Note that I have 8k subscribers to my blog
i think marshall is being a bit finicky in how he [re]views the situation… he’s obviously not a microsoft / windows lover, and it seems like that is coloring his opinion of the whole deal.
while it sounds like the Microsoft PR folks are being overly concerned about conflict of interest, it didn’t seem like they were *forcing* him to send it back to them — and certainly mike’s email clearly outlined the ‘keep it if you like’ option.
anyway, seems like a lot of todo about not much. oh yeah, except that Windows Vista is out.
Hey, this one goes back and forth. Basically – Rex Dixon did NOT get one. Ferrari, or 77 Chevette – doesn’t matter – I did not test drive one!
How about this – ** All of you that received one ** write your review and pass it on to the next blogger ** and then that blogger keep it for a bit, pass it on to the next person ** finally come next July or so — auction it off, and everyone that used it – have one of those laser etching companies etch a signature in the cover. — send it back to Microsoft – auction it off for a charity for Christmas 2007. —
Rex
Hi Rex, love your thinking man! Although I reckon the hardware progress would have moved forward by Christmas 2007.
Brilliant move by Microsoft. All that got them get a modern machine capable of running Vista in all it’s glory. The reviews will be good even though the experience doesn’t represent what the average/normal user will experience that doesn’t buy a new, high-priced machine or the ultimate version. Their experience may be a whole different ballgame. Microsoft is brilliantly gaming the bloggers.
Do you think Microsoft sent these out to you guys because the bloggers who visited their campus last week all had Macbook’s? You mentioned that BillG noticed that almost all of you had Macs, perhaps that is where the idea originated
let me get this straight – Microsoft doesn’t disclose until they get busted – then they disclose, but there’s no crime? And bloggers who don’t disclose – well, we’ll just never know because Microsoft didn’t disclose. But there’s no crime there, either. And you can keep your machine indefinitely, but there’s no crime there, either. And PayPerPost is evil because….well, just because.
I guess it’s true that we can rationalize anything if we try hard enough.
Mike, but why bloggers who cover internet apps vs. windows-based products before earning praise from industry veterans for balance? Perhaps a bit ambitious, and what we don’t know is, whether or not they leapfrogged their core audience of PC/Windows bloggers and traditional journalists. After all, most Windows users still read about the latest PC technology in weekly and monthly print publications. I was a hardcore PC-enthusiast who switched to Mac with the new processors so I could enjoy the best of Mac, PC and Office 2.0 applications.
OK: how about this…
Hello I’m Joe Blow, Grand Poobah of Defunct Motors, and I’m sending you a new Ferrari for your review.
Of course I want it back after 30 days, but in the mean time I hope you will blog about your experience.
Of course, you can (wink, wink) donate it to a charity.
>>>> Just what is your selling price for your ethics anyway? Free lunch? Free concert ticket? Free Computer?
Grow up! Just because Microsoft sent you a gift doesn’t mean you have to accept it!
Good to know. I think.
One thing to remember though is that the true test is how the OS holds up over time. My experience with Windows has been that it sets up terribly, and then once you have all your stuff installed and customized, it works great for a few months, and then it slowly gets worse and worse as the system gets bogged down by cruft. Only heavy, heavy use can simulate that.
In a way, it’s sort of like the Pepsi Challenge. People think Pepsi’s great because they are only taking one swig of it (and it’s sweeter). But by the end of a long glass, you’re back on the Coke bandwagon.
Anyway, cool that it’s good so far…
I suggest you ask MS to provide you with a *second* Ferrari, preloaded with Ubuntu. If they are confident that their OS is significantly better than the alternatives, what better way of broadcasting that than having an independent side-by-side review?
(btw, I’ve just read a few red-faced “I was going to disclose, honest” – hilarious!)
What I don’t get is why they bothered with the laptop in the first place.
Easier to just give away 3000$ to the same people, ask them to write, or not, about Vista and to do whatever they wanted with the money.
The whole laptop sending thing seems too complicated to get to the same results…
I thought blogs are supposed to be an antithesis of regular media, where the rich, powerful and well connected people get everything. Under such a scenario, isn’t this action of Microsoft forces blogosphere take the same route as traditional media
. Hey Microsoft, if you are listening, send out Laptops to “mom ‘n pop” bloggers like me rather than “walmart” bloggers like Mike or Marshall 
“This email came from a Microsoft employee, not Edelman, [...]“
Right, just like some kind “S. Larson” at Citibank sends me lovely company correspondence regarding my accounts there!
http://daggle.com/060929-020044.html
Do you know the Microsoft employee who sent you the email? Did you call them up and say, “gee, thanks!” Or, is this not just a kind of spam–unsolicited commercial email–where the sender’s address is forged to appear as though it were coming from Microsoft?
Edelman spams bloggers with free PC offers and it’s cool. Why?
In a professional context: a $4,000 “gift” has tax consequences. When I got a “free” motorized scooter fomr a vendor last year they made me supply tax information to give to the IRS (to cover their accounting exposure, I assume). maybe Microsoft has other ways to hide the tax consequences of such generosity from the IRS.
Ask your tax consultant if you need to declare the gift and how you might handle the “donation” of the asset to limit your exposure to fines. $4,000 might mean several hundred dollars in tax liability.
The only things you can’t avoid are death, taxes and data loss.
Hmmmm…. A listers take a $4000 computer and thats fine. Z list blogger takes $10 and their the devil? Come on!!!!
JMTC
Molly
I see Microsoft starts to think heavily into blogosphere. While it is a good move, I am thinking if they are spreading their bullets into the right categories and person – it would be better. Or are they just looking for A-list bloggers, despite if they are bias in Mac OS?
You seem to take your ethics pretty seriously Mike, so what do you think of Joel’s post?
http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2006/12/28.html
Give it to Nick
He’s a young guy..
Yeah looks like you are becoming microsofts bitch already. Yeah well it is a scandle I wonder what they paid/gave you to say the lies you are posting.
Glad to see you’re not afraid to admit: TechCrunch is in it for themselves! You showed those loser journalists who make sure to send all their freebies back! I’d do just the same as you are, Michael, so welcome to my club!
If it is a fair evaluation with a computer optimized for windows and it is all up front that is fine.
If not – if it is biased appraisal where the right conclusion is known ahead of time that is another story.
Welcome to life.
I see this as no different from the general state of computer “reviews” in the industry. Reviewer gets lots of swag, reviewer gives products favorable mention, … profit! (etc)
Whatever. If this move says anything it says, you’ll need an expensive new PC to get the most out of Vista — otherwise they would have just sent out the software (like they did with XP).
http://mrshiney.froppy.com/blog/
Journaism 101 – do not accept anything from anyone. It’s a bribe. Your credibility is all you have.
Use it, yes. Evaluate it, yes. But then give it back. Do not give it away. Do not do anything but give it back. If you don’t, your credibility is shot. Period.
Hey Mike, there is an easy way of having your OS X widgets on the desktop just like Vista has them.
http://paulstamatiou.com/2005/11/13/how-to-quickie-widgets-on-desktop/
Best,
Paul
Whoooosh… there goes an objective opinion.
Part of good journalism is doing the hard work and resisting gifts that sway your opinion– like installing on YOUR hardware, noting successes and failures, and running YOUR apps. Should not have accepted the bribe, I mean perfect 100% Vista compatible gear.
Microsoft is getting smarter [kind of] Even if 90% of bloggers ignore it, there’s always that 10% that endorse Vista; millions of them for the price of a 4k$ laptop… seems Microsoft is getting some very cheap publicity.
They know what they are doing, i have not test my hands on a vista machine. what let me down is it’s price to pay 4 the upgrade.
I will still stick to win xp 4 the moment till i find time move but not to window if there price is that
Where’s my ferrari??
Microsoft as of late, seems to be doing pretty decent marketing their products. This is quite a unique move with Vista.
Just a few months ago, Microsoft paid off GameSpot to fill the Sony Playstation 3 page entirely with XBox 360 ads and a background.
Dragging Ferrari through the mud … it’s horrid. How many folks are actually *buying* these laptops? Seems like a spiffy way to clear out the warehouse.
You suck you groveling knob end.
How do you feel now that Microsoft is asking everyone to either give them away or send them back?
Calm Down people;
“He who have no sin may throw the first rock”
I serriously doubt that anyone of you never accepted any kind of free product to experiment and give your opinion about. This situation is no diferent then going to the market and tasting som crazy product and telling about it to your friends, personally i DO NOT like windows or M$ anyway bu this should not affect my capacity to accept a “GIFT” in order to evaluate their product and review it on my blog or whatever.
Anyway there’s no scandall at all, it sounds just like a severe case of holiday time jealousy when some got the gift and some didn’t. You know what… You who got the Ferrary GOAHEAD AND KNOCK YOURSELF OUT… have fun… enjoy the freebie… and you who didn’t… SUCK IT UP… be a man… and don’t cry cause you didn’t get invited to the party… That being said. Y’all have a wonderful new year and GOD BLESS ALL OF YOUR FAMILIES.
We also have received a fully loaded Media Center PC from Microsoft as part of this campaign. People need to stop complaining – in reality, it really seems that those complaining are those who weren’t chosen. It is COMMON PRACTICE from companies to get their products into the hands of those who review said products, prior to a launch. How else are you supposed to review them before they are available to the general public? This isn’t just for the tech industry – Ebert and Roeper see movies – for free – before they are available to the public. Any problem there? Probably not.
Plus this is a part of something bigger that Microsoft is doing – the Vanishing Point game, where Loki is the one “planning” these giveaways.
you cheap whore
“It’s a kick ass operating system.”
That’s all Microsoft gets from Mike for a measly $4,000.
Not even an explanation why. And how many of us are going to line up to buy Vista based on that astounding ly detailed evaluation? Yup, nil.
What PR genius thought this one up?
I didn’t fall for the money give away scandal from microsoft but I sure did email and ask for a new computer loaded with Vista. Only to be told no.
I mean a New computer loaded with Vista heck ya I will take one. lol
When I emailed microsoft I did inform them that I am now using XP pro with media center. I’m not sure if they understood my situration how long before I will be even able to try Vista. I sure wished I could of got my hand on that laptop loaded with Vista. I was informed that they do alot of charity work. Well I’m poor and would love to test out Vista and would blog my heart out.
C Nobles, what e-mail did you use? Microsoft are ever so secretive about all that junk… You probably got the wrong one.
Hello Michael,
Congrats on the notebook. Would appreciate it if you could support my blog below:
http://vistaferrari.blogspot.com/
Thanks and have a Happy New Year!
Now how about the rest of us? Our opinion matters – doesn’t it? I think the next move would be send discounted computers to colleges and schools, as most companies usually do to build the new market. However, at this time and age, I’m afraid the schools will be somewhere in China or India – who cares about U.S. market anymore!
Wonder what ever happened with this issue.
The laptops are long gone.
Vista has come.
The only people who seem to be using it are new adopter types – who no one talks or listens to,
nubes to play solitaire and go on msn and tech types who need to learn Vista for tech support for others.
Is it Microsoft Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista , Vista
or Windows Vista >>??
There is nothing wrong in promoting your product.
As long as the promotion is real and ethical.
it is the responsibility and duty of the firm itself to promote its product.
However in this case is the promotion of the product accurate or misleading.
I do not hear a lot of good comments from experienced users about Microsoft Vista.
Only from people with little computer experience who really do not have any choices when they go to buy that new computer.