I’ve seen this everywhere and you have too. Now, I really was hoping people would get off the fact that Microsoft has been sending out "free" laptops to people to look at and do with as they chose (including give away). I could care less who had a problem with this happening and I could care less who has and has not kept the device… reality is Microsoft did something and I think it was the right thing to do.

I don’t know the "true" motives behind the move, but let’s be honest here – the blog-o-sphere has sales power and that’s the best way to get your "new" thing noticed! Put that bad boy in the hands of as many people as you possibly can, put it on as many websites as you possibly can and hope you sell the hell out of it. Let’s be honest about something else …

If you don’t think this show of outrage is only happening because it was Microsoft you’ve got to be smoking something really fun. If HTC/Cingular/T-Mobile/Belkin did this … do you honestly think this would be happening? Don’t try selling me on yea we would … because I know it happens all the time. Heck most of us welcome the opportunity to get "free stuff" to play with.

I’m far from a Microsoft FanBoy and if you doubt that feel free to peruse the site a bit and you’ll see I have no problem giving my opinion on some of the things they ship out the door that should have never seen the light of day — (Cough Cough Brown Zune Cough), but this issue has gotten out of control. The utter hatred for this company is unreal. Microsoft does what it does to survive, and granted some of it may be crap/monopolisitic … but please step the heck down from your pedestal and realize most people would be doing the same thing if it was them. Don’t try to sell me the holier than thou "we’d play nice in the marketplace" action either … because I’m not buying that. Girl Scout cookies sure … but I’ve lived in the country long enough to know BS when I smell it. If Red Hat shipped all the Linux bloggers a free laptop with all the bells and whistles you wouldn’t even have known about it… ok except for all the cries of despair from the "Red Hat suxs – Debian is the real thing" people. Oh… and of course can’t forget the crowd who’d load Slack on it … or maybe Ubuntu. 

 I came across this post by Darren Strange and I have to say "EXACTLY". Darren has nailed the issue on the head and really sums up why I think this whole debate is just downright stupid. And I quote "Rather I think Microsoft should be applauded for having the balls to put their stuff in front of their toughest critics …"

I’m a quasi-blogger. Meaning  – I blog, but I’m not really in the club. I post a few things here and there but honestly I have no personal belief that my opinion means anything to anyone AND I’m OK with that. I don’t really believe I am more than a speck on the landscape … Microsoft (nor any other major company) knows I exist and there’s no way I was even near the list – but even if I was I have to say I don’t see the problem. It’s marketing. It’s getting your product noticed. And you know what … The bloggers did the job. They may not have done it the way Microsoft wanted (or thought it was going to go) but it worked a treat. Everyone knows, everyones talking about it … Well done folks.

 With all this said … go check out Darren’s post.

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