Microsoft Axes 'Get The Facts'

tom66 writes "Seems like a long time coming, as Microsoft today has axed it's Anti-Linux campaign 'Get the Facts', and Microsoft has replaced it with a new campaign, called 'compare'. This article touches up on why they may have done it, and the criticism surrounding Get the Facts."

Comments

A question of perspective....

[Churla]

So MS switched names on the marketing program meant to tout it's capabilities over Linux. Seeing the vitriol being spewed in here I have to wonder, which side is really more hateful of the other here? The answer I get looking in here is not one which makes Linux look any more noble, simply less corporate.

Many of the things you rail against MS for are things MS has in the technology because corporations have asked for it (DRM for example), so flaming them for it, is flaming large corporate America, and isn't that who we're trying to woo over here? In many cases MS can win battles for corporate usage because on a very basic level they cater to corporations and most of the OS community has some level of contempt for one or more levels of "the man", meaning they will push against many things on personal or philosophical beliefs. The instant you tell a corporation they can't have what they want because you don't think it's ethically right, and someone else is willing to tell them they can have it, guess who wins?

And IMHO the largest hurdle still facing Linux is not a technical fact at all, it's the "what people already know how to use" fact of office existence. That can only change slowly and over time as more people grow up and go through school using non MS products. Unfortunately what many Linux supporters want is some kind of show down where they end up standing victorious over the bleeding corpses of Gates, Balmer, and Co. That isn't ever going to happen. At the best what will happen is that if Linux is really better, over time people and businesses will gradually move to using it more, and MS less. This is a war of attrition, and if this battle ever is "decided" it will end with a wimper, not a bang. The problem is that's not "cool" or "sexy" enough for many on either side.

Yeah, I'm already wearing my gel coated inferno suit, and yes it's got karma taped on the outside I'm willing to let burn in the ensuing flamefest simply to know I made the point I felt needed to be made.