Re:What Firewall

[Mitch Stone <mstone@vc.net>]

In reply to Charles Behney's message sent 4/24/98 8:30 PM:

>So if Microsoft stories sell, then the public will get more stories than
>the well oiled McSoft machine can handle. Because of popularity, these
>stories will outweigh the negative outlays of potential MS advertising
>dollars. Even as I speak, CNBC speaks of the WSJ piece on alleged MS
>extortion of Netscape. Public interest determines those blurbs.

Yes, and a feedback loop develops. Negative events result in more 
negative stories, which produces a declining public opinion, which 
engenders more negative events. This is the tragedy of the situation for 
Microsoft: the more they insist on "telling their story" by whatever 
means seem proper to them, the more they stoke the feedback loop. Their 
best strategy at this point in time would be to shut up, or offer some 
sort of public mea culpa. But the company's leadership is so 
fundamentally arrogant and self-righteous, they are incapable of seeing 
the long-term value of doing a bit of penance now, while they still have 
the opportunity.

   Mitch Stone
   Editor, Boycott Microsoft
   http://www.vcnet.com/bms 
 +---
   The idea that people know what they want is wrong. 
   --- Laura Jennings, Vice President, Microsoft Network