[mdlug] Is MS bribing bloggers?

[Bruce Smith]

> > >...It only becomes unethical if the bloggers try to conceal what
> > >Microsoft has done to curry their favor.
> > Going back to the payola cases, that is part of what transpired in
> > those cases. No DJ's (that I know of) went on the air to say...
> > "...and XYZ records paid me 500 bucks to spin this new tune for you!"
> >
> > So how do we know how many blogger have NOT disclosed their gifts
> > from Redmond? This raises some real trust issues, true?
>
> Nah. Not really. Maybe in the short term, but in the long run you'll
> know who's trustworthy and who'll isn't. Much like movie reviews. You
> get familiar with the publications and names that always give good
> reviews to bad movies, and you ignore them (or immediately expect crap
> if you see their names on the movie poster). Good movies get good
> reviews from reputable names.

It was my understanding, from the one article I read on the subject,
that Microsoft sent out the laptops to bloggers without any strings
attached.  (correct me if I'm wrong)

But if I'm right, why can't someone accept the laptop and still be
trustworthy?  If I was a blogger and I received a free laptop loaded
with Vista from Microsoft, I would consider the laptop as payment for
my review of Vista, and nothing more.  I would be happy to review it
and give my _honest_ opinion, along with being honest about where the
laptop and Vista came from.

I'd also review things like how difficult it is to dual boot Vista
with Linux, which may not be appreciated by Microsoft.  I really
wouldn't care if Microsoft didn't like my review and never sent me
anything else free.

 - BS