Joho the Blog
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December 31, 2005
Tad Adelstein lays out Microsoft's political influence — the raw type that has dollar signs and zeroes — in a specu-factual sort of way. Tom DeLay and Jack Abramoff make appearances. I still want to know who prompted the investigation of Peter Quinn, the Massacusetts CIO who pushed for the state to use only apps that support open standards. Quinn was investigated for taking junkets, charges that were subsequently found to be baseless. Quinn nevertheless resigned a couple of days ago. Since the Globe trumpeted the charges, and then piccolo-ed Quinn's exculpation, I'd think the Globe would want to know who played them like an out of tune violin. (Hmm. Technically, that wasn't a mixed metaphor, just a failed one.) [Tags: PeterQuinn microsoft massachusetts opendoc bostonGlobe] Posted
by D. Weinberger at December 31, 2005 09:01 AM
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Comments
I agree that the Globe has something to account for. Do you think they will?
The Adelstein speculative leaps are amazing, but I do like the factual parts. It's all about the beltway, of course, so we don't get much help about lobbying in Massachusetts. Are those records not so public?
It also gives more context to see ranking of contributions to campaigns and realize that Microsoft isn't even in the top 50 %-ile on the list I saw. (They just wrote a bigger, rounder check to Creative Commons.)
I love the factual bits. You can tell that I love police procedurals and Tom Clancy novels too.
Posted by: orcmid | December 31, 2005 12:42 PM
"Peter Quinn, the Microsoft CIO"? I think you mean "the Massachusetts CIO".
Posted by: Alfred Thompson | December 31, 2005 03:06 PM
D'oh! I've fixed it in the post. And I also have now changed the order of the phrases in the title so it won't sound like the Microsoft lobby was getting railroaded.
I'm having a Bad Writing day. :{
Posted by: David Weinberger![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.hyperorg.com/blogger/nav-commenters.gif)
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December 31, 2005 04:15 PM
A number of years back, before everybody and his brother demanded that Microsoft be eviscerated for anti-trust violations, they didn't have an office in Washington, and they didn't play politics.
I wonder how many people who demanded those government actions realize that today's events are linked to that idiotic decision to go after MS?
Posted by: James Robertson | December 31, 2005 05:34 PM