Re: use of "microsoft haters" by journalist

[Mitch Stone <mstone@vc.net>]

  In reply to Glenn T. Livezey's message sent 12/17/97 9:56 PM:
  
  >If only it were so. But I would bet you that their editors find it just as 
  >easy to
  >dismiss public opinion that disagrees with their viewpoint as you or I 
  >find it
  >easy to dismiss the MS propaganda and Elvis sightings that appear side-
  >by-side with intelligent writings in the newspaper.
  
  I'm a firm believer in not attributing to conspiracy that which can be 
  chalked up to stupidity (or ignorance). It may not often seem thus, but 
  journalists do comprehend the concept of appealing to a known audience. I 
  find that it does little or no good to attack a perceived lack of 
  journalistic integrity. Nobody, journalists or otherwise, will admit 
  freely to a lack of integrity or a surplus of bias. 
  
  All of us in the grand old '90's are creatures of marketing (or victims 
  of marketing, if  you prefer). Microsoft markets its message to the media 
  with great aplomb. We need to do the same if we want ours to appear in 
  print.
  
  >>Perhaps this is a good place to develop these talking-points. Any 
  >>comments? Any takers?
  >>   Mitch Stone
  >
  >I'm with 'ya all the way Mitch. But perhaps we could stand just a tad
  >of organization in collecting and presenting these "letters to the editor"
  >and list postings. We need some form simple enough to expect that it 
  >might actually be read by our "target" audience, but with sufficient 
  >impact to impart the scope of our numbers and the depth of our resolve. 
  >Any suggestions?
  
  Well, I'm open to that, but I've found that organizing people in the 
  traditional sense is an awfully slippery task in this medium. In my 
  opinion, the inherent strength of the internet is in exchanging 
  information, not organizing.
  
  What I am proposing is simple: providing materials to individuals which 
  permit them to effectively respond to Microsoft's propaganda machine, 
  particularly when it is being represented without qualification by the 
  media.