Microsoft FUD Watch

rs232 writes "Not a week goes by when Microsoft doesn't manufacture a little fear, uncertainty and doubt about something. Yesterday's financial analyst conference was full of it ... Our approach is simple: We look at who said what and why it's FUD. Lots of companies engage in FUD, and we only single out Microsoft because we're Microsoft Watch"

Comments

Oh wow what a worthless site

[Sciros]

Taking PR statements and criticizing them for being PR speak is #3 on the "10 dumbest ways to spend your time" list that I made a minute ago. Honestly, when I find a large company with a PR department that *doesn't* make exactly the same sort of statements Microsoft's does, I'm going to try really hard to make it back to this reality from the alternate one I somehow ended up in.

Hi we are Microsoft Watch and we spread FUD about their FUD, please FUD our FUD by FUDDING some FUD, preferably via FUD.

Re:Oh wow what a worthless site

[MontyApollo]

Yeah, I agree.

FUD has kinda of lost all meaning if you want to insist that generic PR statements are FUD. They even went into detail to explain why each statement was FUD, and that made them look even more pathetic and clueless.

Re:Oh wow what a worthless site

[I'm Don Giovanni]

"This is just such an unexceptional article, it's surprising that it was linked."

Not surprising at all. The quality threshold slashdot editors use for any anti-Microsoft article is extremely low. I'm not surprised at all that they accepted this vacuous drivel. In fact, I would've been surpised had they rejected it. Remember, this site uses a borg icon for "Microsoft" topics and a broken window pane icon for "Windows" topics. All other topic category icons are "neutral", devoid of editorial spin. So slashdot doesn't even have any pretense of objectivity when it comes to Microsoft, they proclaim their anti-MS bias with each and every MS and Windows article by using those icons.

FUD?

[apodyopsis]

I don't know abour FUD watch, but many of their press releases are so obfiscated, long winded, badly phrased and rambling I find it difficult to follow. Its like Sir Humphrey Appleby from "Yes Minister", it takes a moment to actually understand what the hell they are talking about.

Is it just me or do these guys find it impossible to speak english in a plain and simple fashion?

Actually, I think there is a proper word for this - but for the like of me I cannot remember what it is. :-(

/. FUD Watch

[WED Fan]

"Not a week goes by when /. doesn't manufacture a little fear, uncertainty and doubt about Microsoft...We look at who said what and why it's FUD. Lots of /. submitters engage in FUD, and we only single out /. because we're /. Watch"

Oh, Sweet Mother of God and Jumping Jesus on a Pogo Stick and Buddha in a Banyan, if there isn't something specific about Microsoft in the news on a Monday morning, some jackass has to manufacture something so there can be a day where MS is mentioned on the /. front page?

This is as bad as the guy at work that keeps talking about his ex-wife, who he divorced 15 years ago. Let it go! At least wait for Microsoft to actually do something, you know they will.

Re:FUD?

[st0nes]

many of their press releases are so obfiscated, long winded, badly phrased and rambling I find it difficult to follow.

I couldn't agree more. Their manuals are no better; here's an example from the C# programming manual:-

The ButtonProperty value is a string that represents the property name used by the installer to retrieve the value of the button group. This property can be referenced by custom launch conditions to make decisions concerning application installation. For example, if the ButtonProperty is set to Buttons, you create a launch condition that examines the value of the Buttons property. If the first radio button is selected, Buttons takes the value contained in the Button1Value property. Likewise, if the second radio button is selected, Buttons takes the value contained in the Button2Value property. Many of the customizable dialog boxes have similarly configurable properties, which allow you to create a rich and complex installation experience for your users.

Old models don't work

[dwarfking]

While I agree with those that think a Microsoft FUD watch page is a bit of a waste of time, I'm still amused by the fact someone is posting it.

Let us not forget that Microsoft was the master of the FUD campaign. Consider how it used to be. A small, unknown company (Small Software Company) launches a software product that has great potential, but would result in users being semi-locked into that company. Microsoft sees the potential and announces they have their own version about ready to release, knowing full well they don't.

Average user thinks "Well, I'll just wait for the Microsoft product because I really don't know Small Software Company and whether they'll be around.", which gives Microsoft enough time to throw tons of money on a project to whip up a Version 1.0 to compete.

This model worked well for Microsoft for a number of years. But now, it isn't Small Software Company that Microsoft is chasing, it's Google and Apple, to name two. These are also well known to Mr. and Mrs. Average User.

So now, Apple or Google announces a new product, the Average User family starts using it. Microsoft announces their plan to release a competitor and the Average User thinks "a little late to the party".

The point is, people are getting more choice from companies they trust. So the FUD campaigns are not going to be as effective.

It is fun to watch, though.