The BBC’s Kate Russell, in her latest selection of what she thinks are the best sites on the World Wide Web, writes, “Paul Thurrott’s SuperSite for Windows… This site is not just about Microsoft products. There are honest reviews about the new iPhone, Sony Playstation, Apple OS X, Linux and even Google.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Not only has the BBC sold out to Microsoft, they’ve obviously also lost touch with any semblance of reality.
Here’s just one example of “Mr. Honesty” contradicting himself:
Thurrott, March 3, 2006: “I have certain misgivings about Vista resembling Mac OS X. With its translucent windows, such comparisons are going to be hard to avoid. But Vista’s similarity with OS X goes well beyond window dressing. Certain applications, such as Calendar, Sidebar, and Photo Gallery, appear to be directly, ahem, influenced by similar applications in OS X… Of course, Windows Vista is still Windows, and that means you can be far more productive with Vista than is possible with OS X…”
Thurrott, April 19, 2006: “Microsoft’s handling of Windows Vista has been abysmal. Promises have been made and dismissed, again and again. Features have come and gone… If blame is to be assessed, we must start with Gates. He has guided–or, through lack of leadership–failed to guide the development of Microsoft’s most prized asset. He has driven it into the ground… The graphics subsystem is substantially improved, if a little obviously modeled after that in Mac OS X. Heck, half of the features of Windows Vista seem to have been lifted from Apple’s marketing material… Shame on you, Microsoft. Shame on you, but not just for not doing better. We expect you to copy Apple, just as Apple (and Linux) in its turn copies you. But we do not and should not expect to be promised the world, only to be given a warmed over copy of Mac OS X Tiger in return. Windows Vista is a disappointment. There is no way to sugarcoat that very real truth.”
Thurrott, August 9, 2006: “Sometimes I wonder how Apple CEO Steve Jobs can sleep at night. He appears to spend half his waking hours ridiculing Microsoft’s admittedly behind-schedule operating system, Windows Vista, for copying Mac OS X features. But this week at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), he announced ten new features for Leopard, the next version of OS X, most of which will seem more than vaguely familiar to Windows users. I’m not dim: Microsoft does copy Apple on a fairly regular basis. But seriously, Steve. Apple’s just as bad.”
Whatever Thurrott writes, “honesty” is just about the last thing that pops into mind. It seems that contradicting himself is what he does best: one day Vista is a total mess and a obvious copy of Apple’s Mac OS X, another day, it’s Mac OS X that has copied Vista and Windows is more productive than Mac OS X (he must have laughed while writing that one). Thurrott seems to write whatever he thinks will generate the most hits that day and his opinions vary widely, and often contradictorily, based upon whether he’s writing for SuperSite for Windows, Internet-Nexus, Connected Home Media, etc. – here’s another prime example: Thurrott goes from “amazing” to “horrible” to describe iTunes video shown on large TV – March 01, 2006
Citing Paul Thurrott for “honest Mac OS X reviews” is like praising Steve Ballmer for “sweat-free presentations.” And having The Beeb recommend honest websites is like having Michael Vick recommend compassionate dog kennels.
It is strange that the Ms. Russell is expressing opinions about other web sites. The BBC used to have very high standards in reporting FACTS. I hardly think this can be considered factual information.
The thing to remember about Kate is that she’s just a bubble head and a pretty face presenter. I used to watch her every week when I tuned into the BBC’s Click computer programme. It soon becomes obvious that the presenters know nothing about the tech scene and just swallow every line that their dumbass researchers feed to them. Even now, they still say “OS ex” instead of “OS Ten” (which is one of the main reasons I stopped watching). Kate’s main role is to point people in the direction of websites that the viewers send to her every week and it’s not surprising that she knows bat about Thurrot so try not to be too hard on her.
“The Beeb” is a government-sponsored, monopolistic cesspool of misinformation about all things American. One must take anything they promote as “honest” with a powerful emetic.
I agree. The Beeb has been riding on its reputation for a good many years now. Look at how they treat their feedback forums for an idea of how slimy they have become.
Remenber, BBC is not just for clearheaded news reporting. The reason we Americans have such a hard time understanding them is they are speaking with their tongue in their cheeks so much of the time. Are you sure this isn’t an example wry, understated British humor (humour, I guess)? If so, it’s hilarious, if not, then it’s dark British tragedy.
The Beeb has been left-wing and anti-USA for many years.
MW – ill. The Beeb has been sick for a long time.
Does anyone else see the sheer irony of the BBC commenting on who to go to for honesty?
Isn’t that like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad suggesting that if you want honesty about the world, listen to Kim Jong il?
Another example of MDN’s typical behavior of spinning the truth. The posts of Paul’s that you mention are not contradictory at all! For one, in the first two, he’s referring to the beta of Vista, so opinion is bound to change across major milestones (and in fact, in the middle of the review of build 5308, 5342 was released). Not that he’s also comparing it to Tiger. In the third post, he’s referring to Leopard! So yes, it does make sense that Vista would copy Tiger, and then Leopard copy Vista. He’s not flip-flopping.
On a more interesting note, you’ve cited him! So is MDN admitting to using a dishonest, contradicting man as a source of information?! That sounds like poor journalism… Oh wait, this isn’t journalism, it’s fanboyism!
Thurrott is a very credible review of all products. He has no problem putting down Microsoft products where due, or elevating Apple’s products where due! Yes, he primarily writes about Microsoft products. But unlike you guys, that doesn’t prevent him from writing honest reviews about its competitors. You could learn a thing or two from him.
What can I say? MDN just gave Thurrott three more hits than he had yesterday. SHAME on you!
As for the BBC’s comment … there may be the tiniest shred of truth, there. By accident of course, but still …
March 3 … “I have certain misgivings about Vista resembling Mac OS X. ” – an honest statement. Think of all the desktop support folks getting pink slips should Windows become as reliable and virus free as OSX!
April 19 … “we do not and should not expect to be promised the world, only to be given a warmed over copy of Mac OS X Tiger in return.” – absolutely TRUE! Given what they were told, the resources supposedly expended, the price they are asked to pay, the years they have had to wait … you’d think MS could have come up with something deserving a “WOW!”. Instead they got …
August 9 … “at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), he announced ten new features for Leopard, the next version of OS X, most of which will seem more than vaguely familiar to Windows users” – yeah, Jobs did that. And he should be ashamed of himself for making origination claims about them. Steve, you are allowed to say “we took this idea from Windows and made it sparkle” but saying “new in Leopard” is questionable – even if true.
See? There IS truth there. If you dig hard enough. (I didn’t have to give him any “hits”, either) You don’t want to have to get your news from a fanboi … you only get about half the news that way – and a slanted half at that. But … this guy is a fanboi for the competition! And a not particularly honest one, at that. Occasional accidental truth is not quite the same as “honesty”, even when you believe all the wonderful things you hear from Apple fanbois are dishonest hype and half-truths.
Dave
MW=”still” … I still thank my listeners from this site
Right! Let’s all tune into Fox News and get the true picture! Thank God for the US news outlets…
We see her over here (in Denmark) on BBC World on something called ‘Click’. A programme about PCs, sorry Microsoft, sorry – the world wide web.
She’s a complete hair-brained airhead who presents what they claim is her choice of the best sites on this new-fangled ‘inter-web’, She probably thinks Mac OSX is some sort of Scottish raincoat.
@lurker
You are so wrong.
This is just symptomatic of what the BBC has become.
She means every word she says. The BBC is so infatuated with all things microsoft.
It was one of the reasons I stopped working for them
MDN magic word…clear… as in it’s clear the BBC is not as good as it thinks it is
You know, there really isn’t anything wrong with the BBC being left wing.
If there were not so few Mac related news aggregators, I would stop viewing this site altogether. Here, (yet again!) we have a story that isn’t a story at all, followed by long commentary from MDN.
If you go to the site MDN is talking about you will see that all this women did was *mention* that Paul Thurrott’s Windows site (what her piece was about), also reviews Mac OS-X from time to time. This is completely benign *mention*, not a critique, not an affirmation or promotion of Thurrott. She unfortunately used the word “truth” when referring to Thurrotts statements in general and MDN took this personally and created this rant about it.
This is nuts. MDN is starting to appear as if it is run and composed by middle-aged school teachers who have had too much coffee in the morning, and just “feel too much” about everything. Passion is good but it rarely has a place in good reporting.
If whomever is behind MDN wants to publish their personal (biased?, crazy?), opinions on things, they should do what everyone else does and create a user account to comment on the ends of articles. The “voice” used to present the articles and the “MDN take” needs to be about a hundred times more professional and less “passionate” for anyone to take them seriously. It’s got to the point where if I find a story here, I immediately go to another site to find out what the real story is because you just can’t trust a journalist that injects their own self into the news like this.
The Small Wave blog always has good analysis of Mr Thurrott’s FUD:
http://thesmallwave.blogspot.com/search/label/Thud
MDN, get a life.
The BBC has good comedies, but that’s it.
The old Doctor Who was fabulous!
BBC used to be really great.
Used to be.
nothing wrong with calling it Oh Ess Ex
Truth
is
out
of
style
Please MDN, do not mention the Michael Vick dilemma in such a manner. Because of the Media’s unquenchable thirst for news, cases like Michael Vick get blown out of proportion and divide the nation. Remember, this is America, and people are innocent until proven guilty, no matter what the Media says. It disturbs me how much influence the Media has.
She’s absolutely right. Facts are facts no matter how you MAC lemmings want to twist them.
Thurrott’s thoroughly researched, insightful and accurate reporting is second to none. Enderle gets close, but Thurrott is THE MAN. What I like best is how he stands up to the Apple astroturfers and calls bullsh*t on Apple’s empty promises.
A shout-out also has to go to Microsoft. They make writing a SuperSite for Windows easy with their clear, honest marketing. That way Thurrott can better defend himself and Microsoft against all of Apple’s astroturfers, steamroller monopolistic business practices, and proprietary systems and formats.
Maybe if Apple concentrated on making good products that people want they wouldn’t have to resort to such shenaniganery.
Keep up the good fight, Paul!
Your potential. Our passion.™
BBC and Thurott FUD go good together. Honesty no, fantasy, yes.
They keep trying to fantasize that Windows is somehow better and OSX is just a dream. But when reality hits, OSX is for real and is better than Windows from top to bottom in all categories. They just can’t deal with that. With leopard around the corner they try and make more FUD type excuses but are failing miserably as Mac sales are ramping up higher and higher while PC sales are flat.
Keep trying to spread your FUD BBC, it ain’t working anymore.
I realize MDN is an aggregator, but if I was looking for an honest take on OS X’s capabilities or Apple’s software, this would be the last place I’d look. No one’s perfect but Thurrott is far more likely to be reasonably objective than MDN.
I come here for the links and to be occassionally aggravated by MDN’s incessantly blind dogma.
BBC may appear left only because the center has moved to the right.
But really the BBC is a very well crafted propaganda tool, so well crafted that it’s subliminal, so subliminal that people think it is left wing.
Left – right is a false paradigm anyways, clearly so when politicians switch from one side to the otther (Holy Joe maybe?), it’s really libertarianism vs totalitariansim. The western ‘democracies’ are almost corporatist these days, it’s not who votes that count, it’s who counts the votes.
Torrenters search for British Broadcasting Conspiracy.
More on Kate Russell:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/meet_the_team/default.stm#kate