Microsoft in hot water over Wikipedia edits - CNN.com

Y'know, it's bad enough that Microsoft is trying to kill Linux. But now we have them trying to revise history. I really have to wonder about the level of intelligence of the general public who thinks that Microsoft is such hot shit. If Microsoft believes that there is misinformation or inaccurate information in the Wikipedia article, then there are steps that they can take, as outlined by the folks at Wikipedia, to correct such information. But no, they decide to go ahead and try to get around Wikipedia's ban on public relations firms editing Wikipedia pages/information by paying a Wikipedia user to make the edits. How low will Microsoft sink? Let's take a look, shall we?

1. Microsoft executives pondered whether to remove the company's name from a 2002 report done by research firm IDC that touted Windows total cost of ownership over Linux, according to e-mail messages entered into evidence in an Iowa antitrust case. (Read more)
2. Microsoft risks a new showdown with EU regulators with the roll-out of its Vista operating system nearly three years after a landmark antitrust ruling against the US software giant, officials have said. (Full story)
3. In response to antitrust concerns from the European Commission, Microsoft last week said third-party security software will be able to interact with the kernel of 64-bit versions of Vista. Security companies had requested that capability, but Microsoft had denied it until it capitulated under pressure from regulators. (Full story)
4. And finally, we have more in the way of Microsoft trying to kill Linux, with "Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has claimed that Linux infringes on Microsoft's intellectual property. This follows news of the Microsoft/Novell alliance announced earlier this month, that will provide support for Novell's SUSE Linux running on Windows machines, and the promise that Microsoft will not sue SUSE users and developers for patent violations." (Full story)

Here's the story on the Wikipedia fiasco:

Microsoft Corp. has landed in the Wikipedia doghouse after it offered to pay a blogger to change technical articles on the community-produced Web encyclopedia site.

While Wikipedia is known as the encyclopedia that anyone can tweak, founder Jimmy Wales and his cadre of volunteer editors, writers and moderators have blocked public-relations firms, campaign workers and anyone else perceived as having a conflict of interest from posting fluff or slanting entries. So paying for Wikipedia copy is considered a definite no-no.

"We were very disappointed to hear that Microsoft was taking that approach," Wales said Tuesday.

Microsoft in hot water over Wikipedia edits - CNN.com