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.
Can’t say I’ve noticed anything anti-american from the bbc, but in the case of anything Apple they generally seem to find more negative than positive stories.
Doesn’t matter whether the BBC leans one way or the other – all that is important is that you recognize that that is the case and consider all of their stories within that framework. Then you’ll be able to sort out the truth from the chattle.
WTF?! Where’s Fanatic Realist’s post gone?
The site he/she recommended was:
http://www.appleinvestornews.com/
“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.”
Oh, man! That is by far the funniest MDN take ever!
That the BBC says that Thurrott is a good source for “honest” reviews of the Mac shows just how far the BBC is in Microsoft’s pocket.
As if we didn’t know already … some very nice deals – not the least of which is the Windows-only BBC video player. The regulator has told them they have to serve Mac and Linux users, too, but they have plenty of time to delay that in.
Microsoft says, “Jump,” the BBC does it. Let no one be under any illusion.
Kate Russell is saying what she’s told to say.
Jesus people, talk about making a mountain of a molehill. This isn’t even a news article, its more like a blog entry.
People reading into this any agenda seriously need to get a life.
Its stuff like this that makes people think Mac users are akin to religious zealots.
The BBC is totally and utterly in the pocket of… yes of course, Microsoft.
So, between MS and New Labour, they own the BBC.
Sick, sick, sick.
You guys in America are lucky. We Brits have to pay the bloody BBC a chunk of wonga every year for a sodding TV licence even if we don’t watch BBC channels. It’s pathetic. I wish they would start running commercials on the BBC and ditch the licensing scheme.
Aaarrrggghhhhhhh…..
Makes me sick as I love the Mac as much as you and I pay good money to people who push crappy Windohs!!!
And I virtually never watch BBC!!!
Sorry, I was dazed and confused when I wrote that, because I woke up that morning with Thurrott’s ass on my breath.
Sorry, I was dazed and confused when I wrote that, because I woke up that morning with Thurrott’s ass on my breath.
Sorry, I was dazed and confused when I wrote that, because I woke up that morning with Thurrott’s ass on my breath.
Sorry, I was dazed and confused when I wrote that, because I woke up that morning with Thurrott’s ass on my breath.
Another article which demonstrates the BBC’s shockingly bad behaviour:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=476106&in_page_id=1879
BBC supports the govt in power (the power) provided that govt does what the military-industrial-oil-bankers complex wants (Dwight D Eisenhower had a few words to say about them, see what Harold Wilson said for publication only after his death too). Microsoft is in that loop so BBC supports them too.
BBC is under sustained attack from Murdoch et al, with the new ‘business-friendly’ board it will go the way of the British Post Office under Crozier and Leighton, so messed up that privatization won’t raise too many objections from British SUBJECTS.
Balanced reporting from the BBC consists of thirty two-minute headline messages that most people see vs a one hour documentary when the news is stale that hardly anyone watches. If you don’t know which has the greatest impact do a short media studies course.
@Macaday Thatcher was pretty good really, she didn’t represent the vested interests as well as they would have liked, the ‘grocer’s daughter’ understood service for customers. New Labour, well you just have to look at Blair’s first few days in power and the Eccleston affair to know where he was coming from. New used to be a word of warning, untried, untested, uncertain, until the advertisers changed its effect.
You have to admire the BBC and the people behind it, it is very well done.
MrMcLargeHuge: Turn on the news and rethink your statement about Michael Vick. He’s admitting guilt. He screwed the pooch and he’s going to jail.
Zune Tang, ya know I’ve defended you in the past, but not this time. This was weak. Miss a dose of coffee/tea/cola? C’mon, you can do it. Just a little more energy.
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I never realised there were so many tinfoil-hat wearing paranoiacs posting to these articles.
1) It’s her opinion – she’s entitled to it just like everyone here
2) Anyone who bases their purchasing habits on the basis of this site, the BBC, Paul Thurrott or anyone else’s second-hand opinion is an idiot who deserves to get taken for every penny they’ve got.
3) Everything that has been said about the relationship between the BBC, Thurrott and Microsoft could also be said about MDN and Apple.
But the BBC do put links on their news stories to alternative news sites and sources for the benefit of balance, including links to so-called right-wing news sources like Fox. Neither do they resort to ad hominem attacks or besmirch, belittle or otherwise insult those with opposing points of view.
And as a regular poster to many BBC forums, I’ve never had a post removed – however critical of a BBC programme – because it doesn’t agree with the view of the management.
When saying “ex” and not “Ten” is that not a sign of the person’s own computing background?
Those that say “ex” come from a Unix background as I understood that the X in OS X signifies its Unix components.
I know plenty of Linux users and when discussing OS X with me they say “ex” and not “Ten”.