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Innovation

Publicizing Microsoft User State Virtualization via Email pointers to blog posts

Do suppliers now believe that posts on their blogs can replace direct contact with industry observers, industry influencers and customers? Microsoft seems to think so.
Written by Dan Kusnetzky, Contributor

Do suppliers now believe that posts on their blogs can replace direct contact with industry observers, industry influencers and customers? Microsoft seems to think so.

Brian Madden just posted Microsoft's "User State Virtualization" is a joke on his blog. As another recipient of Emails from Microsoft's PR firm telling me that a Microsoft executive or representative had just posted something on a blog, I came to similar conclusions. I've also been following various forms of virtualization technology for quite some time and find that what Microsoft is crowing about is really nothing new.

In his post, Brian pointed out that Microsoft's offerings are not breaking new ground by saying "This is something that companies like AppSense, RES Software, Scense, & triCerat have been doing for years". I would add companies such as Virtual Computer, MokaFive and Neocleus also offer this capability along with a great deal more.

I find it interesting that companies, such as Microsoft, are beginning to present news and opinion via blog posts rather than using the more traditional briefing. I guess that they are assuming that the industry leaders and influencers is going to flock to their website each and every day in the hopes of finding a diamond in all of the other "stuff" that is found there.

The fact that they've engaged their PR firms to lead people to the blog posts shows that they realize the fallacy of that position.

There are many, many blogs out on the 'net. Although many of them offer a great deal of news, insight and opinion, people just don't visit each and every one of them every day to see what's been posted. So, these companies have their PR firm send out Emails to analysts, journalist and consultants hoping that the information in the blog will be disseminated indirectly.

Although I do comment on blog posts such as the one referenced by the PR company's Email message from time to time, I wasn't going to post on this one.  Brian's post convinced me that the real story here is how Microsoft chose to present this information rather than the information itself

Note: A representative of the PR firm reminded me that I had asked to be kept in the loop on what Microsoft is doing and the Email message was meant to address that request.  So, as Emily Litella (a comedic character created by the wonderful Gilda Radner) would have said "Never mind!"

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