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HP's Fury At Vista Capable Downgrade

More documents are coming out in court proceedings over the Vista Capable debacle. Internetnews.com has good coverage of HP's fury over Microsoft lowering the requirements for a Vista Capable sticker, at Intel's request. "Intel officials may have been pleased that Microsoft lowered standards for obtaining the company's Windows Vista Capable logo program sticker, but the same can't be said about HP's execs. 'I can't be more clear than to say you not only let us down by reneging on your commitment to stand behind the [device driver model] requirement, you have demonstrated a complete lack of commitment to HP as a strategic partner and cost us a lot of money in the process,' said one e-mail from Richard Walker, the senior vice president of HP's consumer business unit, to [Microsoft executives]." PCPro.co.uk follows the trail of accusatory emails inside Microsoft from there: "HP's email prompted then Microsoft co-President, Jim Allchin, to send a furious email of his own to company CEO Steve Ballmer. Allchin's email suggests the decision to lower the requirements was made in his absence by Ballmer, following 'a call between you and Paul [Otellini, Intel CEO].' 'I am beyond being upset here,' Allchin wrote to Ballmer. 'What a mess. Now we have an upset partner, Microsoft destroyed credibility [sic], as well as my own credibility shot.' Ballmer, in turn, blamed another Microsoft executive, Will Poole, in a rather erratically typed reply to Allchin."

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  1. My complaint about Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    There are a number of things I can't stand about Slashdot, and I would just love to share them with you. For starters, I wish I didn't have to be the one to break the news that this is an exceptionally convincing illustration of the power wielded by Slashdot and of the destructive way in which it uses that power. Nevertheless, I cannot afford to pass by anything that may help me make my point. So let me just state that Slashdot's rank-and-file followers are merely ciphers. Slashdot is the one who decides whether or not to fuel inquisitions. Slashdot is the one who gives out the orders to enable lascivious four-flushers to punch above their weight. And Slashdot is the one trying to conceal how we are at war. Don't think we're not just because you're not stepping over dead bodies in the streets. We're at war with Slashdot's profligate slogans. We're at war with its ethically bankrupt threats. And we're at war with its homophobic canards. As in any war, we ought to be aware of the fact that the hysteria and witch-hunts fueled by Slashdot's sound bites will perpetuate harmful stereotypes by the next full moon. No joke.

    It has long been obvious to attentive observers that we must educate, inform, and nurture our children instead of keeping them ignorant, afraid, and in danger. But did you know that its expositions are nothing shy of a slap in the face to all those who have fought and fallen in war for this country? It doesn't want you to know that because the main dissensus between me and Slashdot is that I feel that I can no longer brook Slashdot's psychotic, self-satisfied publicity stunts. It, on the other hand, contends that it knows 100% of everything 100% of the time. Imagine getting a dollar every time Slashdot said it wouldn't ensure that there can never in the future be accord, unity, or a common, agreed-upon destiny among the citizens of this once-great nation but did so anyway. You'd be very, very rich. Slashdot's ventures obfuscate any attempt to locate responsibility for the consequential decisions of those who have access to the means of power, as evidenced by the way that in a recent essay, Slashdot stated that it is the most recent incarnation of the Buddha. Since the arguments it made in the rest of its essay are based in part on that assumption, it should be aware that it just isn't true. Not only that, but most of us are now painfully aware of its pertinacious indiscretions. So what's the connection between that and its undertakings? The connection is that I frequently wish to tell Slashdot that if it is allowed to silence critical debate and squelch creative brainstorming, the implications can be widespread. But being a generally genteel person, however, I always bite my tongue.

    Slashdot should work with us, not step in at the eleventh hour and hog all the glory. An old joke tells of the optimist who falls off a 60-story building and, as he whizzes past the 35th floor, exclaims, "So far, so good!" But it is not such blind optimism that causes Slashdot's helots to think that they can distract attention from more important issues. You won't find many of Slashdot's attendants who will openly admit that they favor Slashdot's schemes to strip the world of conversation, friendship, and love. In fact, their double standards are characterized by a plethora of rhetoric to the contrary. If you listen closely, though, you'll hear how carefully they cover up the fact that Slashdot's occasional demonstrations of benevolence are not genuine. Nor are its promises. In fact, Slashdot is doing everything in its power to make me get fired from my job. The only reason I haven't yet is that I believe in the four P's: patience, prayer, positive thinking, and perseverance.

    As far as being frightful is concerned, none of Slashdot's mercenaries holds a candle to it. I could write pages on the subject, but the following should suffice. Slashdot should get with the program. But what, you may ask, does any of that have to do with the theme of this letter, viz., that you do not need to be selfish to know that I ac

    1. Re:My complaint about Slashdot by ImOnlySleeping · · Score: 1, Offtopic

      If you've got a gripe, I suggest keeping it brief, because really, nobody read all that. Also post it under your user name. From the bits I read, my answer would be that there is no mind control as such. It just happens that people that people with similar view points are attracted to the existing group of people that share those views.

      --
      Everybody seems to think I'm lazy I don't mind, I think they're crazy
    2. Re:My complaint about Slashdot by sirdisc · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      This is a joke and nonsensical.

    3. Re:My complaint about Slashdot by powerlord · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      For example, because the vast majority of Slashdotters are freethinkers (atheists, agnostics, irreligious etc.), as indeed am I, it does tend to drive away or silence those who aren't.

      I'm not sure I'd agree with the "Freethinker" moniker. Being open to all possibilities is practically required when you're dealing with computers or troubleshooting any complex system (which I believe the majority of Slashdot members do/did regularly). This doesn't necessarily imply "Aetheist, Agnostic, Irreligious, etc.", anymore than a science degree implies it.

      --
      This space for rent. All reasonable inquiries will be entertained at proprietors discretion.
    4. Re:My complaint about Slashdot by MikeBabcock · · Score: 1, Offtopic

      My freethinking is what empowers me to believe in God. Being a techy who cares about geeky science stuff should require me not to, but that would be submitting to the status quo "just because".

      I'm free to think for myself, and I do so, religiously. I slam science geeks for not believing in God just because their peers don't when they haven't put any good thought into it themselves from the same angle I'd slam someone for not believing in evolution when they haven't put any good thought into it either.

      --
      - Michael T. Babcock (Yes, I blog)
    5. Re:My complaint about Slashdot by Mister+Whirly · · Score: 1, Offtopic

      Do you ever have any of the science geeks you slam turn it around and accuse you of only believing in God because your parents/peers do and you haven't put any good thought into it yourself? If so what is your reaction? If not, how would you react? That train of logic goes both ways on the tracks...


      (I know you will probably reply that you HAVE put a good deal of thought in it yourself. Then I would ask you - how do you know they haven't done the same as well?)

      --
      "But this one goes to 11!"
  2. Re:SUSE laptops by hagardtroll · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    I'm really thirsty for some Tranya. Do you think a pre-installed model is available with the laptop add-on device drivers. Perhaps another round of cognitive product development could leave us all whored up tonight.

  3. Re:Somebody help me understand this . . . by hagardtroll · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    They placed it into the orthogontric manufacturing process. Three sheets to the wind on the Tranya supplies. Once they garantulate wildly, the machines are configured to support their minimal power supplied outcomes. We never cease to see from Intel, the various supply side ergonomics we seek from time to time. Never underestimate the power of free radical electrons to cogitate your display device on even intervals. When in doubt, there is always the forceful inclusion of semiconducted forest derivatives. Be vigilant, and some day you will have the freedom to encode entertainment streams through your house.

  4. Progress by Joebert · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    See Dick.
    See Dick run.
    See Dick run Linux.

    --
    Wanna fight ? Bend over, stick your head up your ass, and fight for air.
  5. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Comment removed based on user account deletion