Disgusting business practices

[rotten777]

I don't know if this is the correct section to post this... but I run an IT consulting company for SMB/SOHO/government in central Florida... and I just received a call from someone at Microsoft offering cash to convert customers from Linux back to Windows based products. Has anyone ever heard of this or experienced it themselves? Why can they operate under the idea that they aren't anti-competitive and monopolistic when they offer straight up cash to buy customers?


On a sidenote...
Its funny how Linux isn't a threat to Microsoft (i.e. exactly what they were claiming 6-7 year ago) and now they're offering cold hard cash for consultants and third parties to convert people back to Microsoft.

[jdq997]

Sounds fine to me. I don't get what is wrong with this...

[dca]

It must be working....

http://www.linuxjournal.com/node/1000248

[rotten777]

It must be working....

http://www.linuxjournal.com/node/1000248

Yeah it sounds like their marketing is falling on its face and people are realizing the strength of Linux and OSS. When all else fails, pay them off. Sounds like the U.S.A. in regards to the congress. :(

[dca]

...by the by.... I can't see them giving away any schmeckels until the server licenses are purchased from your clients. Oh, sad days are these....

[rotten777]

Sounds fine to me. I don't get what is wrong with this...

A company that is a convicted monopolist yet is so cash rich that they can buy customers; all but forcing competition out of the picture.... yeah there is something wrong there.

They're basically paying people to say "Yeah Microsoft products are better and we'd rather sell you those and support those than sell you anything else and support anything else."

[rotten777]

...by the by.... I can't see them giving away any schmeckels until the server licenses are purchased from your clients. Oh, sad days are these....

They won't like my answer of refusing to do it anyways. I'd rather be able to sleep at night. And for two reasons. 1) servers don't page me in the middle of the night telling me they can't get to 2k3 server number X and 2) I haven't help a malicious corporation grow in power and weight.

[dca]

A company that is a convicted monopolist yet is so cash rich that they can buy customers; all but forcing competition out of the picture.... yeah there is something wrong there.

They're basically paying people to say "Yeah Microsoft products are better and we'd rather sell you those and support those than sell you anything else and support anything else."

It's also vendor lock-in issues. I would think they'd have to charge less for a Windows Server 2003 license than they would for the Windows Server 2003 Chinese Edition.... It's a shame, really.

[MetalOverlord]

Paying tribute for favors is a very old and established tradition. However right or wrong, it's effective, that's why people having been doing it throughout history.

And while offering a tribute is dubious morally or ethically, aren't those that accept bribes and tributes just as guilty?

[dca]

Nah, the nasty part is not being able to pass anything (savings) through to your clients...

[DoctorMO]

Sounds fine to me. I don't get what is wrong with this...

Well economically speaking, one of the factors in the economy that keeps businesses and corporations moral is the feat that their customers will take a dim view of any illegal or down right dirty actions; the problem is that this doesn't work with a monopoly, people are given no choice about what they can buy and it warps and damages the economy.

So is it wrong for a company to do something dirty and degrading in order to reinforce their monopoly position? sure is; and the government should be stepping in to deal with Microsoft once and for all.