Assessing Media Bias: Microsoft Vs. Everyone Else 364
snydeq writes "J. Peter Bruzzese questions whether Microsoft receives unfair criticism in the media, while Apple, Facebook, and Google seem to get away from missteps unscathed. 'I've noticed an unfair, ongoing trend: If Microsoft does something a little off, it gets bashed into the ground for it. But if Google, Facebook, or Apple (all three of which can be categorized, like Microsoft, as The Man in their own rights) missteps, it generally gets mild reprimands and even support from the media and those drinking the Kool-Aid.' Do you feel any inherent media bias in its coverage of the tech industry?"
There is a huge positive bias (Score:5, Interesting)
towards Apple.
Because no one want them to win (Score:4, Interesting)
They are no longer seen as tech leaders but as a company that forces you buy from them.
While they get lucky with a few products their innovation generally appears as incompetent and poorly implemented (such as Win 8).
Most people don't like having to buy an updated version of windows and office every few years and start to think another company might be able do a better job.
Re:There is a huge positive bias (Score:5, Interesting)
Their former tactics are still at play. They've just learned to hide them better. Like getting surrogate companies to do their will (may I direct you towards the SCO vs IBM and Oracle vs Google cases? Form your own opinion of course...)
Re:Microsoft Deserves It (Score:4, Interesting)
If Microsoft hadn't already alienated the world by trying to bully them, then I might care.
Nobody cares anymore that we nerds get off on watching Microsoft begin pounded into the bedrock for even minor transgressions. Hating Microsoft is almost part of the definition of a Nerd these days. That article asks the much more interesting question: Why are you willing to let Google get away with monopolistic behavior that Microsoft gets crucified for? They have a 90% share of the search market and nobody is pounding them into the ground over it. Do people really think that Google are bunch of kindhearted philanthropists who only have the best interests of mankind at heart and don't care about profit? Yeah RIGHT! Of course they are... (sarcasm)...
Re:Media vs tech media (Score:4, Interesting)
Not even in the media. When is the last time you heard about the labor practices that go into making Android handsets? Despite the fact that Apple seems to be the only company willing to try to improve things, and that the Foxconn factory that made Microsoft Xbox parts was the subject of the threatened mass suicide recently, it was all reported as "Apple's supplier". Or environmentalists railing on Apple over their "disposable" culture when Apple's products are some of the most recyclable and their programs some of the best at doing so?
Apple is definitely not getting a free pass lately. If anything, Microsoft's foray into cellphones is getting a free pass, as is Android's attempts at a tablet. They're treated with kid gloves because they're not Apple.
Re:Media vs tech media (Score:5, Interesting)
The media always goes after the biggest target. For much of the last two decades that has been Microsoft, but now as they're browser share slips badly and their latest foray into the smartphone market still isn't lighting fireworks, well, Apple is the guy to beat on. Google and Facebook get a lot more heat in Europe than here, maybe because everyone here has already sold their souls to those particular privacy devils already.
Frankly, I'm seeing a lot less negative MS stories on Slashdot these days. To some extent, I'm seeing a lot less Microsoft stories period. Desktops aren't sexy things any more, nobody really gives a crap about the next version of Windows. Windows 8 buzz lasts exactly as long as the space between the latest story on Google being bashed by German courts or Apple being nailed for the number of Chinese get buried for every thousand iPods produced. Microsoft is a middle aged company now, and it really isn't doing anything terribly interesting or even inflammatory, or at least nothing that's nearly as interesting as Apple getting nailed as part of an e-book cartel.
Re:Microsoft Deserves It (Score:5, Interesting)
The problem was proprietary extensions, which to some degree were intended to replace the standards.
At the time IE6 was released, yes, all browsers were pretty much "rubbish" when compared to the versions that are out there today. Having said that, I totally agree with the AC here. What Microsoft did was to make, and strongly push, their own products through somewhat insidious means. That horror called Sharepoint for example, ONLY worked with Internet Explorer. As Sharepoint was often sold to businesses who weren't that tech savvy, their users were forced into using IE. Sharepoint STILL does this today. While certain features do work cross browser these days, Sharepoint is still not by any means a web standards supporting CMS.
Re:Microsoft Deserves It (Score:5, Interesting)
Kinect was outright bought from another company if I remember correctly (PimeSense?). XBox I might give you but it's just a console running Microsoft Software... I would call it more evolution than innovation
Re:Microsoft Deserves It (Score:5, Interesting)
Android was bought, so was multitouch technology in the iPhone and Siri and lots of other things. But you pick on MS, which is really proving the point of the article.
Re:There is a huge positive bias (Score:5, Interesting)
Nevermind that Microsoft invented the basis of AJAX, XMLHttpRequest, which other browsers ended up copying to start the entire Web 2.0 era right? And they changed a web browser from something you had to buy to something that was free and shipped with every operating system.
Other than that, Microsoft has done nothing but hold back the web.
Re:There is a huge positive bias (Score:4, Interesting)