[Am-info] Re: Who supports settlement, who got money from MS?

[Mitch Stone]

--- From a message sent by Will Occam on 12/13/01 1:35 PM ---

>
>Whilst we are all playing this game, could we also obtain a list of which
>companies fund the Consumer Project on Technology?
>
>After all, turnabout is fair play.
>
>Similarly, a list of contributors to the good Senator Orrin Hatch's ProComp
>organization would surely be in order at this point?
>
>Oh. Actually, I appear to have found that information by myself:
>
>"ProComp funded by MS enemies
>It's not surprising that ProComp is on the government's side. The group,
>which was formed earlier this year, is funded by the anti-Microsoft troika
>of Netscape Communications Corp. (Nasdaq:NSCP), Oracle Corp. (Nasdaq:ORCL)
>and Sun Microsystems Inc. (Nasdaq:SUNW), as well as a host of other
>organizations and software companies -- including the Software Publishers
>Association and database technology developer Sybase Inc.
>"Our goal it to increase awareness on a daily basis of what's happening in
>the trial," says ProComp Executive Director Mitchell S. "Mike" Pettit, a
>seasoned lobbyist who served as technical advisor to Sen. Bob Dole during
>his presidential campaign."
>http://www.actonline.org/press_room/news/111098%20inter@ctiveweek%20trial.ht
>ml
>
>It just goes to show you; it doesn't matter which side you are on, there are
>people who are pushing money around to turn it to their own ends.
>Where does your paycheck come from, Mr. Love?
>Have you ever asked yourself that?
>Are you being manipulated by others who would use you and your organization
>to further their own ends?
>
>I feel that only you have the answer to that question.

Whenever I feel myself becoming too cynical, somebody trumps that feeling 
with an observation of this kind. As cynical as I might be at times, I 
hope I will never mistake questions of motive and association for an 
objective evaluation of what someone has said. If someone has made a 
patently counter-factual statement, or even a disingenuous one, questions 
of motivation and association may well follow. But not the other way 
around.

 Mitch Stone  
 mitch@accidentalexpert.com