http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=2107

Dumber people can run Windows

net.wars

By Wendy M. Grossman: Friday 04 January 2002, 15:52

YOU WOULD THINK that by now major corporations - especially major corporations who have spent a lot of time in court having their email entered as exhibits A through ZZZZZZ - would have some sense about what they commit to electrons. Yet this week the Register leaked yet another memo from Microsoft (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/23518.html) on the subject of Linux.*

The gist seems to be that Microsoft is about to go into full-compete mode against Linux, and hopes to have a report soon to show that Windows is actually cheaper. The tone of the message - aggressive, upbeat, full of internal jargon, us-against-them - reminds me of nothing more than the 1994 letter sent by a Scientology insider outlining the organization’s plans for dealing with the criticism it was attracting on the Net (here).

[.....]

========== crime syndicate memo below =============

Elaine Siegel Briefing 11.05.1994

----------------------

From STUS@delphi.com Sat May 7 14:29 MES 1994 Date: Sat, 07 May 1994 08:26:53 -0400 (EDT)

From: STUS@delphi.com

A briefing from OSA INT (Elain Siegel)

To: .......

Hi Everybody!!

Yesterday OSA int called me and said they were sending a message to all known scientologists on the 'net.

I have just built a mailing database of my own, and decided that I would simply mail this to all of you, as IT IS EXTREMELY EXCITING NEWS !!!!!

it follows here:

Subj: Briefing from CSI to Scientologists

BRIEFING TO ALL SCIENTOLOGISTS ON THE INTERNET

DATE: 11.05.1994 02:59

FROM THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY INTERNATIONAL

(NOTE: If you know any other Scientologists on Internet or America Online, please e-mail this briefing to them).

Dear Scientologist,

As you know, there has been quite a bit of false and derogatory information going out over the Internet by a few detractors, squirrels etc.

The Church fired a project to collect up all this information, and we have been in comm with some of you already. We have obtained legal input on some of the messages that individuals have posted that could be libelous or in violation of copyright laws.

We have a plan of action that we are taking, to simply outcreate the entheta on these newsgroups (alt.religion.scientology and alt.clearing.technology), and get positive information to the general public on what Scientology is, our activities around the world, successes stories and LRH writings. There will also be some legal actions, which you will be further briefed on. Basically, as a group we will NO longer put up with our religion being criticized, harrassed and denigrated on the Internet.

As a first step, I want to thank those who have posted positive material and handled some of the entheta that has been posted. This is very much appreciated!

Secondly, I would like to ask your assistance in getting each one of you to post positive messages on the Internet (at least once a week, more if you like), about Scientology.

We want to make these messages "high ground". In other words, don't get tempted into a two way comm with some l.1 jerk on the Internet. Ack him and continue to post POSITIVE and HIGH TONED messages that really explain what Scientology IS doing, how it helped you or a friend, community activities of the Church, Church expansion. It is easy to get into an opp term situation with the detractors over this system, but this doesn't necessarily communicate very well to the broad public who may read this.

There is an excellent issue by LRH which is PR Series 27, THE ENEMY LINE. In here, LRH says that you never forward an enemy line, nor do you get into just attacking. YOU COME UP WITH A BETTER CAMPAIGN OF YOUR OWN.

This should be applied whenever you post a message on Scientology, as we want to keep this on a theta, dissemination comm line to the broad public.

The Church of Scientology International is getting our own site onto Internet, and we'll also be posting messages regularly in there, so if you feel you are getting attacked by some detractor or jerk, let us know right away, and we can get you material to counter whatever is being said.

If you imagine 40-50 Scientologists posting on the Internet every few days, we'll just run the SP's right off the system. It will be quite simple, actually.

CSI will be e-mailing around various briefings and good news messages to individuals for posting also, so that you are getting new material to post. If you need material or want to get your material cross-checked with us for content, e-mail it (to this address for now, until CSI gets our own), and we'll get you the material you need.

The two newsgroups on the Internet are "alt.religion.scientology", and also "alt.clearing.technology" (which was set up by Homer Smith, a squirrel and declared SP). We need to fill up both of these newsgroups with positive information on the Church.

For those of you with access to America Online, you know there is a similar situation with Scientology being attacked on that system. So this would apply to this newsgroup as well (posting positive messages on Scientology).

The Planetary Dissemination Org (PDO) will be getting their own site onto Internet, which will be for the dissemination of LRH's works, WIS book, and other materials and campaigns. We intend to put these works onto laser discs, and utilize all the tools of the Internet to disseminate Scientology internationally.

This is very exciting, and will be a new era for computer users as regards the subject of Scientology.

Look for CSI's first posting very shortly. We WILL outcreate anything that is on there.

I would like to hear from you on your ideas to make the Internet a safe space for Scientology to expand into.

Thanks.

ML,

Elaine Siegel Office of Special Affairs International

I am so excited about this new development !!!

Much love, Stu

========== Microsoft Memo story below ===========

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2002/01/02/ms_struggles_to_discredit_linux/

MS struggles to discredit Linux By Thomas C Greene in Washington Published Wednesday 2nd January 2002 07:10 GMT Updated What's cheaper than an OS you can buy outright once and install on every PC in your shop -- and upgrade cost-free for eternity to boot? Why, a slew of cheesy licenses for Microsoft Windows, 'Doze Division VP Brian Valentine claims in his latest cheerleading effort for his sales associates.

That's right; a putatively independent analysis by 'we'll-conclude-anything' whores DH Brown is going to rip Linux a new one and find that Windows is actually cheaper. How Valentine knows this is anyone's guess. Perhaps he has a mole in the Brown organization as good as the one we have in his. Or perhaps MS simply paid for it. We don't know.

It also appears that MS has bought off a number of Linux/Sun 'insiders' whose job it will be to explain to the sales team how to pitch the illusory advantages of Windows to unsuspecting IT managers. "Dumber people can run Windows" is the best advert I personally can come up with, though this is without the benefit of expensive analysts and turncoat 'insiders' to feed me intriguing tidbits.

But let's let Valentine tell it in his own words:

From: Brian Valentine
Sent: Wed 12/26/2001 7:14 PM To: WW Sales, Marketing & Services Group Subject: Me again -- Linux updates

Microsoft Confidential -- Do not print, copy or forward this email and do not share this email with anyone out side the company. For internal use only!

Now that the whole world knows we are taking Linux seriously based on the leak of my last email... Wait -- stop there -- since when did they think we weren't taking them serious?!? Did they think we are not going to build the best products possible? Did they think we were going to just be fat, dumb and happy and not continue to win business? Did they think we were going to forget about taking care of our customers??? NO!

Who do they think we are? We have the best d*mn sales force in the world backed by the best engineers in the world -- of course we will take any non-Windows OS serious. The thing about the leak that made me mad was not that we would legitimize Linux, etc. it's good in some places, we are better, and it's not very good in other places and we are much better. but they are a competitor and we will compete. What made me mad was that my friends -- some of you and some of our customer's names where in that email and then available for all to see on the web. That made me mad. I want you selling and supporting our products -- not having to take random calls, emails, etc from the press and others and I know what out customers share with us is in confidence that we will keep it internal. I have no problem any random Linux person sending me hate mail, junk mail, adding my email address to every list server out there, you name it -- that comes with the job, but I don't want my friends to have to deal with the same junk.

Ok, Ok, enough of that. On to some new things we are doing for you around Linux.

Linux is out there in some of your accounts and you may not know it. The ground up nature of how Linux is introduced into our accounts means that we need to modify our traditional approaches of finding out about Linux in our customer base. We have to be more hands on and dig deeper in your accounts!

Many Linux projects in CAS and Depth accounts happen below the IT Manager/BDM level. It's crucial that you get out there with your TSP/SE/MCS folks and do actual walkthroughs in your accounts. Ask open ended questions; find out what they're evaluating for both key projects as well as smaller, more tactical projects. Ask about the 'connector' pieces -- you'll potentially find Linux in these areas. This is a great way to not only find out about Linux, but also other IT projects that may include Novell, Sun, Oracle, and other competitors! If you are struggling with how to do this, then do the simple exercise of walking through you accounts data centers and when you see a Sun or IBM machine, ask what it's used for, if you see some strange servers you don't what they are doing -- ask what is running on them and take notes. I would like to challenge each of you to have these conversations with your customer as soon as you can. Oh -- and you can bet anyplace IBM is talking to your accounts, they are saying Linux and switching to higher end non-pc systems. With the current economic times we are living in, just about every customer is looking into how they can get rid of those over-priced, legacy Unix systems and ride the PC economics wave. We need to be there when they are making these decisions and prove to them the Windows platform is the best platform for them across any aspect of their business.

I want you to know just how seriously we're taking Linux here in Redmond. We're investing major efforts in creating easier processes and resources for you.

I. To start, we have expanded the in-field Linux Competitive Champ program and renamed it "Linux Insiders". Like the other TSP Champs programs, it has been changed to use the new TSP role-based database and will be ready to roll out with its new name at the Envision event in January. It is up to each regional TSP manager to select or assign each member; therefore, anyone wishing to become an Insider should see their manager to be signed up. Much like the support "communities" that define the Linux experience, the FCS team will strive to build a community to cooperate in winning business against Linux. By building a virtual team of field staff and corporate resources, we will enable the field to have one place to go for communication and competitive information. The Linux Insiders will have access to a centralized web site where personnel can request help, route issues, and share best practices that the entire field can leverage. This site, a restricted sub-set of the http://infoweb/linux site, will be accessible by all "Insiders," for items such as SLT reviews, web-casts, notes from conference calls and other sensitive information. If you have questions about the Insiders program, please email Kelly File of the FCS team at mailto:kellyfi.

II. Second, I'd like to announce the new Linux/UNIX escalation process that is being headed up by [MS Enterprise & Partner Group VP] Charles Stevens' organization. Here's how it works:

a. First, make sure you check out the latest additions to the Web sites: http://infoweb/linux and http://infoweb/sundown.

b. If you can't find what you need there, involve your local expert: the district Linux or Sun Insider (TSPs with Linux and/or Sun competitive responsibilities). These Insiders have the expertise and the resources to help you win. You can find your local Insider on the web sites.

c. If you still need help for Global, Strategic and Major accounts, the Linux/Sun Insiders (or your GM) can escalate the issue to the new corporate Linux/Unix Escalation Team. Let me emphasize that you need to work with your local Insider or your GM because they have direct access to this escalation team. The team is committed to provide an initial response within one working day. These guys have in-depth UNIX industry backgrounds and have been winning against UNIX and Linux. The product development organization will be working closely with this team to make sure you have all the resources you need.

III. Finally, we're working hard to debunk the myths around Linux. We're approaching this in waves.

a. The first wave will attack the perception that Linux is free. To that effect, we'll have an independent analysis commissioned by DH Brown looking at a very popular topic these days -- server consolidation. If you're not seeing this yet, you probably will. IBM is proposing to use Mainframes running many virtual instances of Linux as a low cost server consolidation scenario for file and print, messaging, and database activities. The DH Brown report will be customer ready and will help your customer understand just how competitive Microsoft is in this arena.

b. The second wave will be a full blown cost analysis comparison case study between Linux and Windows in a variety of usage scenarios (web, file and print, etc.) done independently by the analysts for us. ETA for this tool is in May and it will be a great tool to help you sell the value of Windows solutions over Linux. If you have any questions on this study, please email the mailto:lnxteam alias.

You can expect us to turn up the volume on winning against Linux, as well as IBM. There is some great cross team work between PMG, SMG, and CMG marketing groups to ensure we're addressing your needs and believe me, that feedback goes directly to me and the senior leadership team so we can build better products to help you win against Linux!

Thanks,

Brian

Microsoft Confidential -- Do not print, copy or forward this email and do not share this email with anyone out side the company. For internal use only!

PS: I used to run Exchange -- so if you think I am not tracking this message, think again. Don't forward it! And if you have forward rules that have forwarded this message, then perhaps you should think again about forwarding internal email with those rules. I want to give you folks all the information I can in a very open way. If we continue to have bad apples or careless people out there, I will not be able to help you by sending this kind of information!

Update

Microsoft-compliant 'consultants' DH Brown removed their amusing "Compete to Win" page linked above (now courtesy of the Internet Archive's 'Wayback Machine'), on which they boasted of their willingness to concoct studies according to the agenda of anyone willing to pay. We assume they've moved their sleazy analysis-for-hire pitch to the members-only section of their Web site. Whether this is due to excessive traffic generated by our story, or to shame, one can only guess.

Related Story MS promotes Linux from threat to 'the threat' http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/archive/22770.html

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"When the people are afraid of the government, that's tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty." -- Thomas Jefferson

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