Comments on: Did Microsoft Try to Bribe Big Palm Users?

ZDnet is running an article critical of a recent Microsoft event at which the attendants, people influential in the Palm community, were given over $1,400 worth of PocketPC equipment. Some have described this as a bribe to get Palm users to convince others to switch to PocketPC. Dave Johnson, senior editor for PlanetIT, said, "At the end the day the Pocket PCs did not work and yet I overheard people saying that they would be changing because they got goodies."

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Of course it was a bribe!

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/20/2000 10:40:01 AM #

Jeez...do you really think Microsoft was just being charitable? Please! It's worked to some degree, too. Jeff Kirvin, author of "Writing on your Palm" switched to Pocket PC shortly after coming back from the Microsoft brainwashing session. Of course, had I been invited to that meeting, I'd have had the contents of my goodie bag for sale on eBay the day after I got home, but hey...that's just me. :)

RE: Of course it was a bribe!

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/20/2000 2:35:27 PM #

Grow up. If you know anything about Jeff Kirvin or have ever read his site you know he has very good reasons for doing what he does. Read his latest article for an excellent summation of the differences between Palm and Pocket PC. Yeah, he was "brainwahed" by Microsoft. Big conspiracy.

This story is a lie!!!

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/20/2000 11:06:44 AM #

For the real truth go to PDAGeek, Smaller.com, PDABuzz, PalmGear, and PalmStation.

The people who attended this event do not feel the way they are being portrayed in this article. The writer interviewed a small disgruntled group, and attempted to imply that "everyone felt the same way". It is not the truth. It also suggests that the various site owners have all been corrupted or bought off, which is also not true!

ZDNET crossed the lines of professional journalism.

Just thought everyone should be made aware of this.

RE: Not Much Comment So Far

Ed @ 10/20/2000 12:40:37 PM #

So far, the only rebuttals I've seen on any of these sites have been on Smaller.com and PDA Buzz. Are you planning some mass response like you did with the original article on the trip?

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RE: This story is a lie!!!

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/20/2000 1:23:02 PM #

Ed,

The point is, why didn't ZDNET interview ALL attendees? They never made inquiries to PDA Buzz, Smaller.com, Palmstation, and the rest. Only Rick Brioda, and someone from PlanetIT. Where is everyone else in this article?

In my opinion, that is sloppy journalism. How would you feel if you had attended this conference, and ZD wrote "everyone felt the same way", meaning you as well, felt bribed, violated, or that it was a cheap shot. Even though that really wasn't your opinion. No one likes it when someone else speaks for them.

I think Richard Shim was just looking for a little good old fashioned sensationalism.

Palminfocenter.com agenda?

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/20/2000 1:59:25 PM #

Posted by: Ed @ 10/20/00 12:40:37 PM

So far, the only rebuttals I've seen on any of these sites have been on Smaller.com and PDA Buzz. Are you planning some mass response like you did with the original article on the trip?

Why do I sense a bit of sarcasm and/or envy in that statement. You make it seem like they're all huddled together planning damage control which is just silly.

If you're upset you weren't invited, get over it ... taking it out on your competition (who happens to reference and link to you often) is just immature and self defeating.

RE: This story is a lie!!!

Lucky Dragon @ 10/20/2000 1:59:32 PM #

How carefully did you read the ZDNN story? The writer stated that Microsoft had invited these Palm users to the event and then given them $1400 in PocketPC "goodies." He then expressed his opinion that this was an attempt by Microsoft to "bribe" these influential Palm users. He also quoted one of the attendees who seemed to have the same impression.
I also read the original report from one of the attendees when it appeared on PalmStation and thought that it seemed kind of like a bribe from Microsoft as well. My point? It's a free country, so you have a right to your opinions, but the writer also has a right to express his too, and I can't see where he distorded the facts, so why are you getting all bent out of shape about him expressing his opinion? If you disagree, hey, that's your right, but don't go making wild accusations.

RE: This story is a lie!!!

Ed @ 10/20/2000 2:08:48 PM #

Wow, this does appear to be a day for false accusation, doesn't it?

All I was trying to say with that was that I didn't understand what was meant by "For the real truth go to PDAGeek, Smaller.com, PDABuzz, PalmGear, and PalmStation. " I went to all those sites and several of them hadn't said anything about the ZDnet story. That sentence seemed to imply that there would be some kind of response. I was curious when it was going to be forthcoming.

I try hard to keep my opinions out of the articles I write. If I wanted to make the attendees look bad, I would have referred to this as a "junket" and used other words with negative connotations. If I approved of this trip, I would have put in phrases like "falsely accused" or "maligned" when referring to the attendees.

Frankly, I don't much care about this issue one way or the other besides wondering why ZDnet brought up something from a month or so ago. But our goal here is to try to cover all the Palm community related news and this story fits that, so we are covering it.

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Palm Infocenter

RE: This story is a lie!!!

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/20/2000 7:16:47 PM #

Yes, that's what journalism really is. LOL.

I can see it now.

"This is the CBS evening news. For a reaction to last night's debate, we have interviewed every eligible voter."

Attendees misrepresented by article

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/20/2000 12:01:28 PM #

I was an attendee at the conference and agree that the attendees were misrepresented in the article. Broida and Johnson knew why they were there and should not have attended if they felt it was against their ethics. They should look in a mirror. The rest of us are fine with our attendance and subsequent reporting.

Consider the source

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/20/2000 1:23:18 PM #

PalmGear was not in attendance, where do you get your info? The closest thing to PalmGear in attendance was Calvin from the PalmFAQ.

Also, consider the source of the comments in the article. The two quoted as thinking it was a "cheap tactic" to "bribe" us are the same guys who write PalmOS books. Now if anyone has a vested interest in Microsoft and the Pocket PC looking bad, it's these yahoos.

Get the full story before implicating competing sites in a scandal that never was ... maybe you're just upset you weren't invited which explains the knee-jerk reaction?

RE: Consider the source

Ed @ 10/20/2000 1:50:53 PM #

I took that list of attendees off the PalmStation article on the trip. Hal said, "Invites went out to some of the leading Palm and PDA sites on the net, including PalmStation, PalmGear, PDA Geek, PDA Buzz and smaller.com."

http://www.palmstation.com/view_article.py?article=3146&flat_mode=1

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Palm Infocenter

My take on this (as an attendee)

hal-j @ 10/20/2000 1:40:12 PM #

I attended this get-together personally, and I wanted to make a
few facts known. First off, as those who know me know, I still use
my Palm as my primary PDA. Of course, I now have 2 PocketPCs
along with my collection of Palm/TRG/Handspring devices, and I've
put all through their paces.

I don't feel that it was a bribe as much as it was a request for feedback.
I use my Palm because it's the best device out there for what I need. If
it was Microsoft who came up with the device, I'd be using that. Of course,
Microsoft has come up with a device that does not do what I need it to do
better than the Palm, so I'm sticking with PalmOS.

To read *my* view of the situation (at least a little bit of my view, check
out http://www.palmstation.com/view_article.py?article=3146&flat_mode=1>the article
I just posted on PalmStation. While ZDNet *did* ask me for an interview (for
the article in question, that we're all talking about ; )) I did not get back to them
fast enough apparently, since I didn't hear back from them before the
article was posted ;)

-Hal

RE: My take on this (as an attendee)

hal-j @ 10/20/2000 1:44:54 PM #

Ok, I'm a dork and dont know HTML. The link should have read:

http://www.palmstation.com/view_article.py?article=3146&flat_mode=1>This article

sorry :)

-Hal

RE: My take on this (as an attendee)

hal-j @ 10/20/2000 1:45:34 PM #

ok, so I didn't screw it up, PIC must not have liked my URL format.
cut/paste it (or just go to my site to read it, it's on the homepage ;) )

-Hal

RE: My take on this (as an attendee)

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/20/2000 8:38:43 PM #

Dave's just mad because he wanted 5 PocketPCs, and they only gave him one. Or maybe he's just a disgruntled nerd...Man, if I got stuff for free, I'd be happy, this dumb nerd is complaining. Whi-ner.

Get real

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/20/2000 2:28:44 PM #

This is a pathetic article. It assumes that these people are so weak willed that they will switch because of free hardware. I know some of them already own Pocket PCs or could easily afford them on their own. They're not going to switch just because of free hardware. Broidas comments are particularly sad. Get a grip Palm fanatics.

RE: Get real

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/20/2000 3:58:09 PM #

I agree, if you're so ethically offended A. Don't take the freebie and B. take the high road the hell out of there. Otherwise grow up and realize this is how business is done. It's called market research and focus groups. I'm a die hard palm user, from what I know and see of the windows ce/pocket pc's I'm not thrilled by them However. I'm not adverse to spending time with using one if I had the opportunity. I think some of us are getting so fanantical in our devotion to palm that any other platform comes along and we're terrified it might shake our convictions. I must admit being suspicious that given the backgrounds of Johnson and Broida they might be a little less than objective

RE: Get real

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/23/2000 2:11:01 PM #

It wasn't the free stuff that got these people, it's the fact that someone treated them like experts. Microsoft is VERY smart obviously. Can't you see it?:
"We brought you all here because you're true experts in the handheld computing space and, because we want to garner your vast knowledge, we're giving you free products to test". If they were really just testing them, they'd have to give them back in a month or so.
The problem is, these guys loved someone finally taking them seriously and were too naive to see what Microsoft was up to. Can't you see what most the attendees are posting: "No, no, they really just want our EXPERT opinions" (paraphrasing). These people aren't real journalists and they know that. So they simply believe they are not subject to the traditional rules. The attendee from Smaller.com has already said exactly that.

macmaverick @ 10/21/2000 10:08:10 AM #

Considering that most Pocket PCs that run CE have their motherboards melt when they try to send a fax, that was pathetic on Micro$ofts part. "Thou shalt not envy thy neighbor's Windows CE device."

I don't think that big administrators of UGs and information sites would EVER switch to Microsoft's CE platform. That line was dead years back when they killed HPC/Pro, which was a GOOD idea.

--And he said, "Ah, the Palm!"

Taking over the world

x @ 10/22/2000 11:59:43 AM #

Why not just buy Palm out and kill them off.........as per usual !
You guys still buy products from them and one day you are going to pay big-time . When they are more powerful than the Presidents and Priministers of the world you will have financed it.............hold the world to ransom ? ....role on Mac o/s X....have choice don't be a lemming.

[ No Subject ]

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/22/2000 7:53:35 PM #

What's the biggie, politicians in Washington do this all of the time, except they don't call it bribes.

Comments from ZDNet

Ed @ 10/24/2000 8:04:54 AM #

Matthew Rothenberg from ZDNet has written a commentary on this story. About the only thing new he adds to the mix is this, "any media outlet I know -- and that explicitly includes ZDNet -- imposes very, very strict limits on the value of any schwag editors can accept... taking actual hardware product with any significant resale value is not OK."

http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/comment/0,5859,2643379,00.html

BTW, the opinions expressed by Mr. Rothenberg are not necessarily those of Palm Infocenter or me. I'm just pointing them out.

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Palm Infocenter