I've been following Microsoft issues for over a year and a half now, but nothing prepared me for the depth of cynicism revealed in this mawkish plan to manipulate public opinion, and indirectly, the courts. It's a sorry enough situation that Microsoft has a ring planted in most of our noses, but they now feel privileged to give it a firm yank whenever we happen to stray from the path. The good news, of course, is that Gates and Co. have to be wiping powder burns from their faces this morning. The denials simply won't do. They've been caught with their hands in the deepest of all cookie jars, and it will be difficult for anyone, even their most sincere apologists, to muster a positive word in their defense.
Firm says it's only a proposal.
The elaborate plan, outlined in confidential documents obtained by The Times, hinges on a number of unusual and some say unethical tactics, including the planting of articles, letters to the editor and opinion pieces to be commissioned by Microsoft's top media handlers but presented by local firms as spontaneous testimonials. The stated targets of the campaign are attorneys general and politicians in California and 11 other states that may be considering antitrust action against Microsoft, which is already battling a suit filed last year by the Department of Justice. When asked about the campaign Thursday afternoon, Microsoft spokesman Greg Shaw initially said he was unaware of such a plan. He acknowledged attending a meeting in Chicago on Monday during which the plan was scheduled to be discussed in detail. Even if Microsoft has now decided to abort the plan, the documents and the activities they describe reveal a great deal about how serious the company considers its plight and the measures it is willing to consider to protect its dominance of the software industry.