Slashdot Mirror

So far, I've got:

http://track.pubmatic.com/* http://m1.2mdn.net/* http://view.atdmt.com/* http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/* http://content.yieldmanager.edgesuite.net/* http://cdn5.tribalfusion.com/media/* http://online-pro-antivirus-scan.com/*

The last one is the most obnoxious. It's a full animated windows file explorer showing a fake virus scan (positive of course). It's kinda funny to watch it on a Linux machine though but it's a bit difficult to get it to close and stay closed.

It was not entirely outsourced to Accenture. It was a joint Acenture Microsoft project. Microsoft was involved at all levels of development, testing, deployment, and support.

As one poster to the SJVN article (Bernard) points out, both Microsoft and LSE confirm Microsoft's complete involvement in the project:

"(I found the study http://switch.atdmt.com/action/FY07_Linux_LSE_Download on MS's own site.) http://www.microsoft.com/uk/getthefacts/lse.mspx

to wit; page 4:

"In the development, roll-out, and implementation processes, Microsoft worked closely with the London Stock Exchange to ensure not only that they understood their immediate requirements, but that the solution fitted their long-term business plans as specified in the TRM project."

"Robin Paine, Chief Technical Officer at the Exchange, says: âoeThe London Stock Exchange was looking for a responsive partner to engage across all phases of the Technology Roadmap programme. The collaborative approach Microsoft offered made it an ideal choice."

Any more questions on whether Microsoft was "really" involved?

There never was any doubt -- Microsoft was deeply and intimately involved, and bragged about it as loudly as they could. In fact, it was Microsoft which presented this an issue of Windows and Microsoft "technology" capabilities as compared to Linux -- Ironic, isn't it?"

Given Microsoft's history of FUD, their habitual use of paid commentors, or even dead people writing letters, I think we should all sit back and enjoy the spin the paid apologists will have to go through to tell everyone how it wasn't MS's fault.

I bet that link on Microsoft's own site telling hoe closely involved they were in the project won't last through the Holiday weekend! Any takers?

    Oh, I don't take it as a personal jab at all. I'm not in the advertising business. :) I've done various things, where I've been exposed to a lot of different things.

    Ads aren't designed for a minority target audience. They want to get the most "bang" for their buck. The number one thing is that sex sells. The number two thing is that you have to get and keep the viewer's attention. They test ideas through focus groups initially, and then through the return on the investment.

    The Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa recently added blackjack. They have 3 major things to do. Slot machines, poker, and blackjack. I've seen a couple billboards. They have a beautiful woman on one side, showing plenty of skin. Beside her, it says "SLOTS", as well as poker and blackjack, and of course the company name. Seeing that billboard, I see a beautiful woman showing lots of skin, and "sluts" written beside her. I now know that there are hot chicks that I can get with at the casino.

    Why did they advertise it this way, instead of saying there are 50 blackjack tables, they're playing with 5 decks, etc, etc? Because they don't need to. Guys will go, with the hint that there are hot women. Women will go because they feel they're hot too, and that's where the hot women go. The reality is, there are some attractive people. There are also an awful lot of retirees sitting at the slots all day, hoping to strike it rich.

    I was trying to find a picture of the billboard. On a news story for it, there was an ad for the Flamingo casino/resort in Las Vegas.

http://spe.atdmt.com/ds/HCHEIHARNBAO/3133_FLV_300x250.jpg?ver=1. I know where I want to go. They have hot chicks too! :)

    By listing out, or doing a good description of what they're selling, they would only be marketing to a very small percentage of the audience. This way, they're marketing to the broader, but stupider, audience. Stupid people are easier to seduce with an advertisement. Smarter people actually research a product. Have you ever bought an item, just because it was shown in an ad? Probably not. We'll research it first, and then if it's a good value, we'll purchase it. If it doesn't work as advertised, we'll return it, and/or not buy the newer one.

...this: http://spe.atdmt.com/ds/NMMRTUMISITP/mrs06256_news_336x280.jpg?spd=90&atdmt=?spd=90 Actually, I'd like to know why exactly this Paul Campbell is a *former* director... BTW, who let that in there at all?

why do we find ads like this one in linux.slashdot.org (it happened right now)? http://spe.atdmt.com/ds/NMMRTUMISITP/mrs06256_news_336x280.jpg?spd=104 Ironic, no?

I had to laugh... when I clicked to the article, the embedded ad was this ad that people were switching from linux to windows servers....

http://spe.atdmt.com/b/NMMRTUMISITP/mrs06245_swit_ 336x280_DEF.gif

What is up with the Pooping Sumo Wrestler in the ad next to the article?

*brrrr*

It's funny to see this story right now, since I received Microsoft adCenter spam earlier this afternoon. I called at least four Microsoft technical support numbers to complain about it, in addition to reporting the message to Spamcop. Microsoft was able to confirm that Microsoft's adCenter marketing pricks (they didn't use that word exactly) were indeed spamming people.

It's rather ironic to see Microsoft sending bulk unsolicited email, aka spam, since the company has been so vigorous in pursuing third party spammers. I guess it's not spam if Microsoft does it.

Given that I got their spam, it seems that adCenter is both ethically challenged, and collecting personal information from someplace(s) it shouldn't. It's not clear how Microsoft harvested my email address -- I sure as hell didn't give it to them!

Here's part of the email I received:

Return-Path:
Received: from servera02.tk2smtp.msn.com (207.68.176.104) by
  xxxxx.xxxxxxxxx.com with ESMTP
  (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) for ;
  Wed, 1 Nov 2006 15:14:37 -0800
Received: from cpebsmrmpfil01.phx.gbl ([10.48.8.85]) by servera02.tk2smtp.msn.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC(6.0.3790.1830);
          Wed, 1 Nov 2006 15:14:26 -0800
To: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Message-Id:
Date: Wed, 01 Nov 2006 15:14:26 -0800 (PST)
From: Microsoft adCenter
Subject: Ready to sell more? I'm here to help
Content-Return: allowed
X-Mailer: SSAG-Emailer-V7.0.0.0; msnprod
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
        boundary="----=_NextPart_650_760_0F8B3D2A.01C6FE0A "

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_650_760_0F8B3D2A.01C6FE0A
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Here's a tip from Search Master Steve:
"SEARCHING FOR CUSTOMERS?
LET THEM SEARCH FOR YOU."

They don't call me Search Master Steve for nothing.
I happen to know a thing or two about getting customers
to find your business.

>Sign up by 12/31/06 and RECEIVE UP TO A $100 CREDIT.*

Did you know?

That search marketing is one of today's inexpensive ways
to reach new customers--right when they're looking to buy.

And that, FOR AS LITTLE AS $5,(1)
I can help you access up to 99 million MSN(R) users,
with 81% of the MSN audience having recently
purchased online(2)--that's 81%!

>See more tips at:
http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/h2e0050000195mrt/direc t/01/

And did you know that
you can GET A $100 CREDIT* for ad clicks
when you open a new acco...

This is very lame text to get this comment past Slashdot's very lame lameness filters. Blah blah blah. What the hell was Microsoft thinking when it decided to spam random people? Duh? It must be getting close to Christmas since halloween just passed. The weather sure has been fall-like lately. It was cold last night. I like to pasta. Did you know that carpet is made from little tiny pieces of plastic? No really, it is! If I were to start counting backwards from one hundred, I'd be really bored by the time I reached -100. Cork is both a wood product and a city! You probably wouldn't want a cork board made from a city, so it's vitally important never to confuse the two. You'd probably end up with a Cork school board or something and they'd get totally pissed if you tried to pin something to them.

MIRROR HERE.

All traffic from that search page is routed through http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/mgcssusa0030000003gbl/ direct/01/?q=searchphrase which doesn't really make sense to me. Why would Microsoft do something like that? Secondly, the Official Rules state that you can enter by searching at http://search.msn.com/ which is my preferred method now that I know I cannot search through http://www.msnsearchandwin.com/ without going through atdmt.com. Unfortunately, the Official Rules say:

'When the Web Results of your Web Search are displayed, click the "MSN Search and Win" link located in the "Sponsored Sites" box on the Web Results page presented to determine if you are a winner.'

So this means that someone could have purchases a whole lot of phrases and been put into the sponsored links area. Try a search at search.msn.com and see if you can find the link they are talking about. I searched, 'fast cars' and no such link appeared.

Is this a hoax?

Right on. I always install Adblock with Firefox or Mozilla. I haven't seen a pop-up or flash advertisement for months. They all seem to come from a few advertisers. Here is my adblock list:

http://.mediaplex.com/* http://.tribalfusion.com/*
http://.doubleclick.net/* http://.adbureau.net/*
http://.atdmt.com/* http://.emode.com/*
http://.advertising.com/* http://.tickle.com/*
http://.fastclick.net/* http://.falkag.net/*
http://.e.akamai.net/* http://.yieldmanager.com/*
http://.casalemedia.com/* http://.serving-sys.com/*
http://.pointroll.com/* http://.thinktarget.com/*
http://.zedo.com/* http://.com.com/cnwk.*/Ads/*
http://.qnsr.com/* http://ar.atwola.com/*
http://ads.guardian.co.uk/* http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/*
http://.starwave.com/* http://ads.ign.com/advertisers/*
http://ads.space.com/RealMedia/ads/* http://gfx.dvlabs.com/*

http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_death_ray

details here

OMFG!!!11

http://switch.atdmt.com/action/goatse

"http://switch.atdmt.com/action/Google_Browser"


It MUST be true!

I can even prove it! http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_google_browse r_g5_powerbook

Holy shit, that site is awesome. It has every porno pic that's ever been on the internet. Check this out:

hot_wet_naked_teen_pussy.gif

FUCK YEAH!!

and this one

this_link_is_aliased

and this one

this_link_is_aliased

Eeeeevil....

Introducing the new apple_g666_powerbook!

Buy it now, before time runs out... The end of the world is nigh!

you can type anything you want at the end, from g6 powerbook to g45438_powerbook, and still get a 1x1 GIF image. It seems to be a placeholder for content they don't have. Certain text strings after the /action/ folder will open PDFs or Flash movies, etc. Try:
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_airportexpres s_tech_overview

http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g6_powerbook

and the new Apple OSX for windows

http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_OSX_x86

http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g6_powerbook

and the new Apple OSX for windows

http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_OSX_x86

ANY combination of letters between the underscores appears to take me to a 1x1 pixel gif picture.
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_sgj42fjs_powe rbook

http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g5_powerbook

As we've all known, a 1x1 pixel graphic is proof of a product!

And it gets better!

http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g5_newton

http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g5_powerbook

As we've all known, a 1x1 pixel graphic is proof of a product!

And it gets better!

http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g5_newton

http://switch.atdmt.com/action/anti_gravity_fusion

Not only is it real, but Apple must be getting ready to market it.

They have a place holder graphic up now, so they must be getting ready to release it REAL SOON!

Sure the graphic is only a 1x1 pixel, but it's there!!!!

Wahoo!!!

Yeah but checkout the duke nukem forever picture...

That's it. I'm done with The Register.

They can't tell a typo from an actual story.

http://switch.atdmt.com/action/anti_gravity_fusion

Look! Apple is going to come out with an Anti-Gravity Fusion device!

The URL doesn't give a 404, so it MUST be true!

So is

the g6 powerbook

and

Duke nukem forever

Worked it out yet? This is a non-story.

So is

the g6 powerbook

and

Duke nukem forever

Worked it out yet? This is a non-story.

Well, up until now, Apple has had pretty good standing in the community. But look at this. There is a gif webbug for some other secret projects.

http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_penis_enlarge ment

Now we know who is behind all that spam!

Here's what I was trying to say:

In Google's cache of the page, it's there, but it's a 1x1 image. And the image is still there. That's at the very least interesting...

In Google's cache of the page, it's there, but it's a 1x1 image. And the image is . That's at the very least interesting...

... bad, that it is only 1x1 pixel and kind of transparent.

Hmm. Okay. Opening the link... http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g5_powerbook. Okay. The link works. It must be true then. Wait... http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g6_powerbook works as well! That must mean that they're releasing the G6 at the same time as the G5! Yay! Let's go post an article on The Register about it!

Hmm. Okay. Opening the link... http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g5_powerbook. Okay. The link works. It must be true then. Wait... http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g6_powerbook works as well! That must mean that they're releasing the G6 at the same time as the G5! Yay! Let's go post an article on The Register about it!

You must be an Apple insider! http://switch.atdmt.com/action/Newton_OS_Mac_PDA_P hone_iPod_Airport_Express_Thingy

Obviously anything after "/action/" is being redirected to the same image, with the last part of the URL probably being used as a dynamic key for tracking hits.

This image proves Apple's ultimate plans for Macintosh.

Look! There is even an image of the NEXT powerbook, the G6!!

WOW!

http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g6_powerbook

ANY URL RETURNS A 1x1 WEBBUG:

http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g6_powerbook
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g7_powerbook
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_hotsex_powerb ook
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g5_newton
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/microsoft_windows_f or_macintosh
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_cheesegrater

Nothing to see here.

-S

ANY URL RETURNS A 1x1 WEBBUG:

http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g6_powerbook
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g7_powerbook
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_hotsex_powerb ook
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g5_newton
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/microsoft_windows_f or_macintosh
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_cheesegrater

Nothing to see here.

-S

ANY URL RETURNS A 1x1 WEBBUG:

http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g6_powerbook
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g7_powerbook
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_hotsex_powerb ook
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g5_newton
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/microsoft_windows_f or_macintosh
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_cheesegrater

Nothing to see here.

-S

ANY URL RETURNS A 1x1 WEBBUG:

http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g6_powerbook
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g7_powerbook
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_hotsex_powerb ook
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g5_newton
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/microsoft_windows_f or_macintosh
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_cheesegrater

Nothing to see here.

-S

ANY URL RETURNS A 1x1 WEBBUG:

http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g6_powerbook
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g7_powerbook
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_hotsex_powerb ook
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g5_newton
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/microsoft_windows_f or_macintosh
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_cheesegrater

Nothing to see here.

-S

ANY URL RETURNS A 1x1 WEBBUG:

http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g6_powerbook
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g7_powerbook
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_hotsex_powerb ook
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g5_newton
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/microsoft_windows_f or_macintosh
http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_cheesegrater

Nothing to see here.

-S

Man, it looks a lot like the soon to arrive PowerBook G6!

http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g5_powerbook

http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_teleportation _device

http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g5_powerbook

http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_teleportation _device

Actually, I believe Apple named it, but it was probably a typo. Avenue A's site is set up to send out a 1x1 GIF image to any request. Unless you believe the Apple G6 Powerbook is coming out soon also...

Think about it. They announced a lot of other products two weeks ago. They traditionally announce products at that time. Would it make sense for them to start rolling out a Apple G5 Powerbook now?