Re-posted from archive of infinite ideas machine 2004: [LINKS UNCHECKED]
John Lettice in El Reg’s, MS, open source, The Facts and the fit-ups, describes (or more accurately, rips apart) one of Microsoft’s recent series of UK seminars intended “to help customers better understand the debate surrounding Microsoft and Open Source software”.
The spirit of “openness and honesty” (not) demonstrated by Microsoft seems vaguely reminiscent of… current Home Office behaviour. Simplistic arguments, ‘evidence’ skewed in your own favour and spin up the wazoo!
Microsoft’s re-telling of the Newham incident shows a degree of selectivity with the truth that must have even Blunkett reeling in admiration. Buy your way into a contract and then say that you ‘won’ it on the long term value (TCO) of your product? Pull the other one…
El Reg were able to infiltrate various people into the event(s), so they can at least report on precisely who said what. A boon completely denied to us, the citizens of the UK, despite Home Office protestations that they are ‘engaging’ with the public in an open consultation process – while, behind closed doors, the industry briefings carry on regardless.