Microsoft Tech Evangelist Viewed Industry Analysts as Bribable

(Warning: Link is to a PDF.)

This Comes v. Microsoft antitrust case in Iowa is a veritable gold mine for Microsoft internal communications dirt. This PDF includes a memo written in 1997 by James Plamondon, a Microsoft technical evangelist. From p. 48 (the strike-through humor is in the original):

Analysts are people who are paid to take a stand, while always trying to appear to be disinterested observers (since the appearance of independence maximizes the price they can charge for selling out). Treat them as you would treat nuclear weapons — as an important part of your arsenal, which you want to keep out of the hands of the enemy. Bribe Hire them to produce “studies” that “prove” that your technology is superior to the enemy’s, and that it is gaining momentum faster.

Did I just hear someone say “Rob Enderle”?

(Thanks to DF reader James Bass.)

★ Tuesday, 23 January 2007