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On THIS planet! To 95% of the people in this world, that constitutes an exceptional Christmas present, sadly.

Anyway, I think the better thing to do if you received one, MDN, would be to send it right back with a note to Microsoft about how inferior their products are, rather than use the bribe money for a REAL Christmas present. Tsk tsk tsk.

First?

Obviously it's in response to all those bloggers who turned up to Gates' recent briefing with MacBooks.

Would you do the same thing if apple sent you one?

I'd wipe the drive and install Ubuntu. No need for MS crap.

Here's a better idea: http://www.smashmyvistaacer.com

that would make up for the iPod version. fucking assholes.

Perhaps it's a cunning plan to get people to write about using Vista, while conveniently circumventing the problems of finding a PC that will run it and then trying to install Vista on it.

That's two danger areas neatly side stepped.

The big problem is that the recipients don't have any need to say nice things about Vista and even if they did, any blogger who is known to have an Acer Ferrari laptop will be perceived to be in Microsoft's pocket if they write flattering stuff.

All a blogger has is a readership and if that readership believes that the blogger has become another person on Microsoft's 'Influencer' list, their credibility vanishes. There is an obvious linkage between credibility, readers, clicks, advertising and income.

It's interesting that at least one of the recipients has explained what's happening. It would be fascinating to discover what was said about this gift, what it expected in return and what has been hinted at for the future.

Acer computers are total dog s....!

They are even cheaper than Dells. That is hard to be

I agree with AlanAudio. Did anyone catch the part about the laptops come with Vista pre-installed but do NOT come with installation media? This way, MS gives the bloggers a "complete" testing platform but doesn't offer installs of Vista on another computer for comparison. Unless, of course, the bloggers go out and buy themselves a copy. How are these bloggers supposed to give a complete review if they can't easily (and without digging into their own pockets) go from scratch with the OS?

"Are Microsoft's PR flacks nuts?"

It's a non-stop macadamia festival.

" . . . random sucker from the planet Delusional . . ."

I contacted my friend, D3☀!✠φ on Delusional last night. They're not interested. Computer viruses are deadly on his planet. They are perfectly content writing copy MS PR and advertising. And Rob Glaser's biography.

ACER

So, how is that pronounced? Hey, Sir? The French ah-serrr? The Italian: ah-cher? Ah-choo?

Who on EARTH would name ANY product Acer?

An Acer Delorean addition would more closely match Microsoft's cutting edge mystique!

art:

I believe they addressed your question in the MDN take.

Oh you silly jealous little Mac fanboys. How you make me laugh.

Get a life.

MS can't just send Vista to people. Chances are, the bloggers' existing hardware won't run Vista adequately so MS had to send along hardware so Vista wouldn't as easily appear to be the dog that it is.

I just checked the monkey bites wired blog and it seems others there agree with this point. You can't send out a behemoth of a Service Pack to people who don't have the hardware to run it.

Acer is not the villain, they build lots of things to a variety of specs, you all are just experienced with the really inexpensive ones.

Acer does not give anything away.

Microslop is the company you should be focused on, they're the ones paying for the Acer laptops.

Jimithy:

Would MDN loose all there credibility then, or whats left of it, since they are such a suck ups to apple?

I had an Acer laptop once. I tried to get it to blow me but it wouldn't work.

MDN - I totally disagree with your take. If Apple wanted to get bloggers to try Mac OS X they would almost HAVE to send them something to run it on like a MacBook. Which they do for most reviews except that they demand them back after so many days of use. If I were MS and wanted people to try Vista with its demanding hardware requirements to get all the bells and whistles to work I would want to give them something to run it on that I was sure would allow it to work well. Additionally, I would like to avoid them having to install it on a machine they use on a daily basis. Thereby taking away many of the reasons someone wouldn't want to install and try it right away. Beyond that MS IS creating some goodwill with the blogging community by giving them something they can actually keep.

I totally agree that there should be full disclosure by the bloggers about what MS gave them so that it is all out in the open. However, the fact that MS gave them the laptop should not disqualify someone from giving a fair review. (As long as there is no fine print saying they have to give it back on the basis of a bad review). ;P

MDN - I like your site and most of your takes but give us all a break. This was actually quite a good idea by MS. Apple could learn something here too. Give some of the PC bigots a laptop and let them try it (and keep it so they would actually think about using it). If they do they will undoubtedly see the light.

Connor MacBook

Hit it right on the head. Same thing happened at a recent HP press briefing, too. Too many OS X-running MacBooks out there in front of the eyes of the Windows hegemony.

art, that's "lose" all "their" credibility

In the music industry this sort of thing is called "payola". For those too young to remember or too old to remember for that matter, just Google "payola".

Handing out laptops is not a crime.

Backdating, falsifying board minutes, handing one's self millions at the expense of innocent shareholders IS a crime.

I'm surprised Microsoft haven't thought of designing a skin for OS X to make it look like Vista, so everyone will think Vista is rock solid.

Microsoft is used to using its money to push its way into a market. They've made "donations" of computers running Windows for years and taken the tax deduction from expense while taking credit as philanthropists, so this shouldn't surprise anyone.

Just yesterday I was in a Target where the Zune has a prominent spot at the end of an isle while the iPod is in the middle of the isle. You can bet MS is paying for that too. They know they can't compete on quality, so they take every advantage their monopoly in the corporate market can give them. It's what makes Apple's accomplishments so impressive. They've stood up to and thrived against a huge monopoly for over twenty years! Very few companies have done as much.

Handing out laptops isn't a crime unless you're handing them out to get "airtime" as you would be doing if you're handing them out to bloggers:
http://www.oag.state.ny.us/press/2005/jul/jul25a_05.html

Microsoft plays nice, just once, and see what happens. Apple never sent my squat for free. Not that I would want a PC with Vista, but it's the thought that counts. right?

In some respects, it will be interesting to see whether they can actually buy their way to success. It would be awfully strong evidence of how easily manipulatable people can be. <crossing fingers>

COME TO THINK OF IT, IT'S CERTAINLY NOT THE FIRST TIME, SO HOW MANY OTHER BLOGGERS/PRESS/REVIEWERS THOSE HAVE RECEIVED THIS KIND OF "GIFT" FROM THE LOW MICROSOFT? NO WONDER WE'RE ALL SOMETIMES AMAZED (ANNOYED) AT HOW LOUD THEY PLAY THE DRUMS FOR THE COMPANY'S PRODUCTS…

Isn't Enderle from the planet Delusional? I always thought it was Remulak.

I think you may have stumbled upon the home world of technology analysts.

If Apple were giving free MacBooks to bloggers, I think the spin would be more positive.

Yeah because spending £10k on bloggers is really going to make Microsoft millions in the long run :rolleyes:

Microsoft doesn't need good publicity on the net, its MS for god sake.

@Chris
"Just yesterday I was in a Target where the Zune has a prominent spot at the end of an isle while the iPod is in the middle of the isle. You can bet MS is paying for that too. "

In retail that is known as a "Paid End", its considered the el primo position and companies pay sweet money to get them.

@wyred guy

Speaking of loud, why are you yelling?

>>Oh you silly jealous little Mac fanboys. How you make me laugh.

Get a life.<<

azz0r, We're supposed to get a life yet you are the one posting to a mac board. Does the expression "Physician, heal thyself" mean anything to you? If not, look it up because I am sure it will be an enlightening experience for you.

"Speaking of loud, why are you yelling?"

It's so he can hear himself type.

MSter Pusher Man: "Try it, kid. The first one's free..."

It's the same old stuff. Give free products to someone using a competing product. Really a non-story, because no matter how much you gripe about it, nothing will come of it. MS was already convicted of these practices on a larger scale and they suffered no real punishment whatsoever.

While Apple will not be affected negatively by this attempt at "PR", it just shows that MS is incapable of changing it's ways or thinking up new tactics. Like designing good software.

Glad to see one of the bloggers called em out, though...

MW: How "Low" can you go?

"It's the same old stuff. Give free products to someone using a competing product. Really a non-story, because no matter how much you gripe about it, nothing will come of it."

Because there IS no story. it's commonplace for companies to send people product they want them to review. For MS to send out a hundred or even even a thousand laptops to people they'd like to have play with Vista, use it and comment on it, is chickenfeed in the overall marketing budget.

You find a box with Vista in your mail what do you do? Throw it in a corner figuring you'll get around to loading it on a machine sooner or later. You get a whole Acer PC set up and ready to go, you probably pull it out of the box and try it.

Seems like MDN's more then a little bent out of shape that nobody sent them a free Zune, or a free Vista laptop.

Wow, you small percentage of the PC population MacBoys sure are a bitter crowd. Worse than the Linux population which I thought couldn't be outdone.

If you think Apple has never given away Macs to "bring people aboard" then you are even more dilusional than your posts in response to MS doing it. You are all like crows pecking at fresh roadkill. Sad to see that the best feature of your Mac is posting plain text bashing MS...

omg i didnt believe the logo thing till i saw it

Actually I find the Acer laptop as one of the best laptops I've ever had the pleasure to use. I got it as a gift (affordable AND good looking) and couldn't put the thing down every since I got it.
It have everything that I need to start college this year, including amazingly fast internet & virtually unlimited hard drive thanks to the built in storage expander.
I honestly have no idea why everyone's complaining over MS giving away free laptops... and like MicroNix said, I'm sure Apple has done the same numerous times.

God bless you opinionated people but dont you think you should be taking out your rage on other, more important things? like why we've been in war for so many years and how it hasnt seem to gotten us anywhere so far? or maybe how the media brain washes us with entertainment so we dont start questioning what is going on with government?

Maybe if there were more people like you on this planet, our country would have enough sense to end this unbeatable war on "terrorism" and instead use the billions of dollars for something a little more useful, like maybe finding a cure for cancer or doing research in stem cell...?

A quick oppinion: if "terrorism" means 'to cause terror' then dont you think Bush is the real terrorist by making innocent Americans believe we are in constant threat of our lives?

Dont people understand that we give 3 months worth of salary to the fed. banks.. and there isnt even a single law that requires us to do so? Our government is treating us like slaves to pay off the debt we caused because of the war.

Come on America, wake up and smell the gun powder. Stop wasting away your lives by arguing over pointless matters and lets fight to save what little freedoms we have left.