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Microsoft's Damage Control Efforts



  Dear info-policy-notes readers....
  
  In the past few weeks, Microsoft has launched a number of initiatives to
  manage the damage from the surprisingly active movement to address
  Microsoft's antitcompetitive behavior.  The following is something
  Microsoft and the Association of Microsoft Solution Providers (AMSP) is
  sending around.   There is also something being organized by a group
  called NT*Pro, an aborted effort by a group called SAG.  More on the
  NT*Pro and SAG efforts when I return from Santiago, Chile, where I have
  spent the past week attending the 15th Congress for Consumers
  International.
  
      Jamie
  
  PS.,,, info-policy-notes readers who want to attend the Microsoft
  Conference, and need a scholarship, should send a note to Donna Colvin
  at dcolvin@essential.org
  ---------------------
  
  MCSP News Flash <mspnews2@microsoft.com> on 11/06/97 04:38:50 PM
  
  To:   MCSP News Flash <mspnews2@microsoft.com>
  Subject:  AMSP update regarding recent press about Microsoft
  Date: Thu, 6 Nov 1997 13:38:50 -0800
  
  Recently, you've likely seen a lot of news coverage concerning Microsoft
  
  and law suits with competitors, the recent U.S. Department of Justice
  investigation and Ralph Nader's planned Nov. 13 conference.
  
  This has prompted many MCSPs to contact us to express their views about
  the company and our position on these issues. The Association of
  Microsoft
  Solution Providers (AMSP) has heard from you as well.
  
  Both here in Redmond and at the AMSP chapters throughout the US, MCSPs
  have been asking us to provide the appropriate contact information to
  help
  them get involved.  Therefore, respecting the privacy of your e-mail
  address, I am forwarding an e-mail recently distributed by the AMSP to
  its
  membership.  It contains helpful information about how to educate
  yourself
  on these issues and share your views if you wish to.
  
  These are important issues for you and the overall industry.  I know
  that
  AMSP will help you ensure your voice is heard.
  
  Bill Henningsgaard
  General Manager
  Organization Customer Unit, Microsoft
  
  -----Original Message-----
  From:   Susuanh@amsp.org
  Sent:   Wednesday, November 05, 1997 4:55 PM
  To:     Bill Henningsgaard
  Subject:        AMSP Membership mail
  
  Dear Microsoft Certified Solution Provider:
  
  You're probably aware of the criticism Microsoft has come under from
  both
  the Justice Department as well as from Ralph Nader regarding Microsoft's
  
  position within the PC industry and what Nader calls unfair business
  practices regarding Microsoft.
  
  Nader is holding an "Appraising Microsoft and its Global Strategy"
  conference in Washington DC Nov. 13/14 to bring attention to and rally
  support for his stance against Microsoft.  The AMSP is seriously
  concerned
  about the negative PR and potentially damaging impact that this will
  bring
  upon Microsoft and the impact this could have on you and your business.
  We want to do all that we can to support the Microsoft position in the
  industry and their work on setting standards in the PC software market.
  As the community of third party professionals dedicated to the Microsoft
  
  platform of products, we want to speak up loudly to create as much
  positive PR as we can both locally within each of your locations and
  with
  your congressman as well as with the DOJ.  We can do this by sharing our
  
  views through the appropriate influence and media channels.
  
  Below are three things we are asking of each AMSP member.  Please send a
  
  letter to Mr. Nader and copy your local congressional representatives
  and
  the AMSP office at http://MSVoices@baydweller.com .  If you have the
  time
  and can take the extra step to communicate through each channel listed
  below, our voices will be heard by more people.
  
  We have included the letter from the AMSP in response to the form letter
  
  posted on http://www.cptech.org and key message points that you can use
  in drafting your own thoughts on your letterhead.
   <<Message Points.doc>>                  <<AMSP Letter.rtf>>
  
  NOTE:  If your mail client does not accept attachments, please visit the
  
  AMSP web site at (http://www.amsp.org/docs/) to obtain copies of the
  attached Word documents.
  
  Highlights from the AMSP letter include:
           * Solution providers provide an independent viewpoint
           * The browser is an enhancement to the OS
           * DOJ should not restrict MS from developing integrated
  products
           * Competitors agree that the browser is a part of the operating
  system
           * The US economy benefits from MS contributions to the software
  industry
           * MS is standards based and open with its information
           * Do not punish success
  
  1.  Send a letter to Ralph Nader:
  *       Ralph Nader
          PO Box 19312
          Washington, DC  20036
          email to Ralph Nader at www.love@cptech.org.
  
  2. Send a copy of your letter to:
  *       your local congressman asking for his support of Microsoft in
  this issue.  To locate your local congressman check:
  http://congress.nw.dc.us/rollcall/search.html
  *       opinion@objectivity.org.  This is an independent Web site at
  www.objectivity.org generating views on these and other issues in the
  industry.
  *       the AMSP business office at this fax #: 972-988-1125 or email
  Msvoices@baydweller.com.  We are collecting these letters for our
  representative to deliver in bulk as a voice from AMSP at the Nader
  conference this month.
  
  3. Send a letter to the editor of your local daily newspaper.
  *       If you need contact information for your local newspaper, e-mail
  
  voiceinfo@baydweller.com and we will send them to you.
  
  This is an extremely important issue to both AMSP and Microsoft and one
  where we as a professional association can take a stance and make our
  voice heard.  Please take the time to forward this message to every
  member
  of your chapter asking for their help in supporting the Microsoft
  position
  within the industry.  Encourage your members to send letters to the DOJ,
  
  Nader, their congressman, the editors of their local paper and to the
  AMSP
  office immediately.  Our AMSP Board representative will be leaving for
  Washington next Wednesday and we need all letters in his hand before
  then.
  
  For more information on the Nader conference, visit:
  http://www.appraising-microsoft.org; or http://www.cptech.org If you
  interested in attending the event please send e-mail to
  VoiceInfo@baydweller.com and we will send you information about how to
  join fellow MCSPs at the event.
  
  If you would like more information on AMSP, visit our web site at
  http://www.amsp.org, or you may contact me directly.
  
  Thank you,
  Susan Hanneld
  Executive Director
  AMSP
  Susanha@amsp.org
  
  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
  
  --
  James Love
  Consumer Project on Technology
  http://www.cptech.org
  202.387.8030  | fax 202.234.5176
  love@cptech.org