Should CNET be supporting Windows? I say 'No'
CNET Channel has announced that it is partnering with Microsoft to help consumers purchase Windows-supported products with ease and little hesitation. Just what I wanted from my unbiased, neutral news broker.
CNET Channel's high-quality, accurate and consistent product content helps over 2,100 high-technology manufacturers and channel businesses in 35 national markets drive their online businesses and increase sales effectiveness. As an aggregator of best-of-breed content and e-commerce services, CNET Channel will now deliver 'Certified for Windows Vista' and 'Works with Windows Vista' logo information with its product content, rich media solutions and professional services that help retailers, resellers, distributors and manufacturers maximize their online business potentials. CNET Channel's solutions, combined with the Windows Vista Logo Program, contribute to business by providing the solutions that help consumers make confident, rapid, easy buying decisions every day.
I'm sure Microsoft is glad that CNET is helping it to sell Windows-compatible products. I'm not sure how glad I am about it.
Instead of a 'Certified for Windows Vista' program, why doesn't CNET spend its time focused on identifying why Vista (and related products) is a good or bad choice for consumers and enterprises? The logo implies "It's all good" when the reality may be very different.
Regardless, I don't think anything with the CNET brand can afford to take sides, and this program clearly has CNET taking sides with Microsoft. Yes, everyone needs to support the underdog, but I don't want to prop Microsoft up in its fight with open source. :-)
Matt Asay brings a decade of in-the-trenches open-source business and legal experience to The Open Road, with an emphasis on emerging open-source business strategies and opportunities. Matt is vice president of business development at Alfresco, a company that develops open-source software for content management. He is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure. You can follow Matt on Twitter @mjasay. 
What do you make of it Matt?
- Money yes, religion no
- by Matt Asay August 24, 2007 1:40 PM PDT
- True religion is a help to the world. It's pseudo-religion that goes on crusades, blows up infidels, etc. I'm not aware of any mainstream religion (or religious text) that calls for that. Just whackos who paint themselves in the hue of a religion and do bad things. Religions, themselves, don't do bad things. Not my Bible/Qu'ran/Book of Mormon/Upanishads/etc., anyway.
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