Microsoft: Yup, we paid writer to dump her Mac
Days after posting an ad from a self-described Mac-to-PC convert on its web site, Microsoft has issued a mea culpa. The computing giant apparently paid a freelance writer to pen the ad, which was similar in style to Apple’s PC-to-Mac ads that flooded the market in June. While Microsoft maintains that the account is true, it admits soliciting the testimonial and using a stock photograph instead of a picture of the woman. “Windows XP gives me more choices and flexibility and better compatibility with the rest of the computing world,” the woman is quoted. Microsoft yanked the ad Monday, calling it a judgment error. Apple had no comment. The ad first aroused questions because of the formal tone of the “convert.” The Apple ads have struck a folksy note with their delivery, but the Microsoft ad used geek-speak like “I wouldn’t know how to function without the track changes and comments features of Word.”

Finnish cops: Bomber a regular at chat room
Finnish police say that the suspect in a bombing that killed six people Friday may have used an internet chat room to gain and give tips on homemade explosives. Authorities have shut down the chat room, called “Forum for home chemistry,” after connecting it to suspect Petri Gerdt, who died in the mall explosion that also injured 80 others. The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation said that the 19-year-old suburban Helsinki student used the alias “RC” and was known on the forum as an explosives expert. The NBI found links to the chat room and other suspicious internet sites on Gerdt’s confiscated computer. According to the forum moderator, RC did not talk about any sort of planned attack in the chat room, but sources close to the reclusive Gerdt said he might have been upset about a recent split with his girlfriend. Under his chat room alias, he often quoted lyrics from dead rapper Tupac Shakur.

Will fewer pop-ups and better sound help AOL?
Locked in a fight for new subscribers, America Online unveils its most extensive upgrade ever today, days before rival Microsoft plans to launch its own upgrade. The offerings for AOL 8.0 include new communications and community features, fewer pop-ups and a special version for broadband users that offers CD-quality radio service. AOL has battled internal accounting crises, staff overhauls and a slowdown in new subscribers during the past few months. The company hopes that a return to its roots, concentrating on member happiness, will fend off the gains made by Microsoft and other internet service providers. But Microsoft plans an Oct. 24 debut of a package very similar to AOL’s. America Online especially hopes for gains in broadband usage, where it’s taken a wallop. Only 500,000 of the country’s 15 million broadband users subscribe directly to AOL. Microsoft offers the service for $10 to $15 less than the AOL price of $54.95. The company hopes that AOL 8.0 broadband exclusives like concerts, sports highlights and movie trailers will lure subscribers.

Pressplay and BMG in latest licensing deal
Four down, one to go for Pressplay. The online music subscription company said yesterday that it has a licensing deal with BMG, leaving Warner Music Group as the only one of the industry’s five major music labels without a Pressplay deal. Sony and Vivendi, both of whom own interests in Pressplay, along with EMI Group, had already worked out licensing agreements with Pressplay. The site allows users to download songs and burn them to CDs or portable music players. It claims to offer more than 120,000 songs. The deal with Bertelsmann-owned BMG will make artists including Elvis Presley and Whitney Houston available.

Engineering group gains control of .org
 The .org internet domain will have a new manager come January. A group of 11,000 engineers and network experts known as the Internet Society (ISOC) won approval from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers to manage the some 2 million nonprofit and community organization domains that comprise .org sites. Former manager VeriSign agreed to give up the domain last year in order to keep control of the more prevalent .com, which has 21.2 million registered users. ICANN opened the bidding process for .org, the fifth-most-popular domain, in April, and chose ISOC from 11 applicants. VeriSign will kick in $5 million in start-up costs. ISOC plans to charge $6 per registration.

October 15, 2002© 2002 Media Life


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