CentOS - Jan 2007 - Microsoft makes hard call for input

hi all, 
 
 you might be interested in this article.
 
 cheers,
 
 joe
 
 
 
 
  A Sydney software engineer has been embroiled in a controversy in which
Microsoft stands accused of trying to use him as a paid proxy to finesse entries
on the Wikipedia site. Doug Mahugh, Microsoft "technical evangelist",
emailed the engineer, Rick Jelliffe, on Monday, hoping to use Mr Jelliffe's
expertise to modify a number of technical articles in the online encyclopedia.
Mr Jelliffe holds an economics degree from the University of Sydney and is chief
technical officer at Topologi, a Pyrmont software company. But the Microsoft
approach has been interpreted as an attempt to disguise its hand in the editing
process. Wikipedia allows anyone to add to and modify articles, and relies on
volunteer moderators to correct inaccuracies. But Microsoft has rejected
suggestions it was being sneaky or underhanded by approaching Mr Jelliffe. In
the email to Mr Jelliffe, which Mr Mahugh has since published online, Mr
Jelliffe was asked if he would be interested in correcting "errors"
and "slanted language" found in Wikipedia entries relating to rival
computer software standards, one of which was developed by Microsoft. The email
encouraged Mr Jelliffe to disclose his deal with Microsoft in his blog, and
reassured him that Microsoft did not have to approve any of the Wikipedia edits
before they were made. Mr Jelliffe's disclosure of the offer on his blog
sparked a flurry of criticism. He denied he was pro-Microsoft. "Full
disclosure was part of the deal! I wouldn't have been interested
otherwise," he wrote. Mr Jelliffe has refused to add to his published
comments. A Microsoft spokeswoman, Catherine Brooker, said no money had changed
hands, but did not say whether the contract had been withdrawn.
 
  source
http://www.theage.com.au/news/biztech/microsoft-makes-hard-call-for-input/2007/01/24/1169594396428.html
   
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kenkensmile at netscape.net wrote:

>   source
http://www.theage.com.au/news/biztech/microsoft-makes-hard-call-for-input/2007/01/24/1169594396428.html
Nothing to do with the content, but I was interested that it's in The 
Age (Melbourne), so I googled. I got seven hits, none of which is the 
Sydney Morning Herald.

NY Sun has it.

It does illustrate, though, the credibility that should be attached to 
Wikipedia: like the rest of the internet, it needs to be taken with salt.



-- 

Cheers
John

-- spambait
1aaaaaaa at coco.merseine.nu  Z1aaaaaaa at coco.merseine.nu

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