roy

I don't get how Microsoft giving bloggers free pre-loaded Vista laptops is an 'ethics scandal.'

Edelman PR (people behind the campaign on behalf of MS) are giving random (influential) bloggers free laptops, some who have already written about the experience. They're not forcing people to write positive reviews, nor are they forcing people to keep Vista on there. All Edelman is trying to do is get the Vista name out there and see if influential bloggers will write about the product. What's so wrong with that?

I'm always amused by any posting by a higher-profile blogger about "transparency" and blogger "ethics." Hello, this is the internet. Bloggers are ordinary people. Ordinary people, when given free gifts from a corporation, will gladly accept them without thinking twice about "ethics," and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Bloggers are just ordinary people on big soapboxes.

Who cares if people didn't disclose where they got them? I would only be offended if they were forced to give an opinion that wasn't theirs ... which is not the case.

Let's get off our high horses, people. If you refuse to, I'll be sure to trail you and scream bloody ethics whenever anybody buys you a free dinner.