[mdlug] Is MS bribing bloggers?

[allen]

> 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
>   
Because as a journalist all you have to offer is your skill and your 
credibility - *not* - honesty. Accepting gifts undercuts that 
credibility because it's difficult to believe that the gift-giver 
doesn't expect something in return or hasn't already gotten something in 
return. It may be true that you remain unbought and your honesty intact 
but that's difficult for most people to accept, extrapolating from their 
own, imagined response to such a situation, and your credibility suffers.

The suspicion will be that even if your review is unflattering, it won't 
be entirely honest. Vista, according to your review, is difficult to 
dual-boot but is your review comprehensive? What information haven't you 
provided in your review that might be a whole lot more injurious to 
Microsoft's interests?

Look at the bright side. Since this is a classic problem all journalists 
face it makes it more difficult to dismiss the claim to the status of 
journalist, by bloggers.

Allen