Oh dear, it looks like Microsoft has taken the concept of transparency a little too far. In an article for Wired magazine journalist Fred Vogelstein explains how he received a 5,500 word dossier from Microsoft’s US PR agency, Waggener Edstrom, all about himself!
Imagine how the poor journalist felt when he read that “it takes him (Vogelstein) a bit to get his thoughts across so try to be patient.” Apparently the 5,500 word dossier described him as ‘tricky’ and said ‘he looks deeply for any dirt’. Despite this bad report from the software giant, the journo seems to have taken the error in his stride, almost in good humour, saying he wasn’t surprised that Microsoft kept such a dossier but that he was taken aback by the number of people who were behind the memo (around 12 apparently).
Ironically, Vogelstein was writing a piece about how Microsoft was at the cutting edge of the internet, using its video blogging initiative Channel 9 to become more transparent!
Interesting links:
Original blog post: http://blog.wired.com/business/2007/03/enough_about_me.html Waggener Edstrom President Frank Shaw responded in his blog, Glass House
Michael Arrington’s reaction TechCrunch
