if (Windows Rules) then (Linux fails)

Such so called IT analysts and journalists have the most to lose when Linux gains popularity and market share. It is clearly obvious why they try all kinds of statistical tricks and games to make Linux look like not moving ahead. Their bread and butter comes mainly from MS so they are expected to spread such twisted conclusions. If they think they can shake FOSS, they are in for a shock of their lives. MS and they know better, otherwise they wont go this far in creating false conclusions and try to deceive their readers. Their case is hopeless. Plain and simple.

Abe: The conventional thinking may suggest that open-source means no advertising. But, Craig's list alone has cost traditional newspapers about $50 million in revenue per major market. That's primarily classified advertising.

I'm not sure that the journalists know if the publication does or does not make money. That's not in the information flow in the typical news organization.

The typical way news people work has more to do with their assigned "beats". A beat is the area regularly covered by a reporter, a police officer, or a sentry. The reporter, in our case, has a set of skills which any journalist would have. He or she would apply those to the subject area.

A lot of writers get locked into an area that they may not even like, but if they develop a following, they become locked into that subject and often lose objectivity.

Tom: My bad, I generalized too much. But lately, we have seen several sickening reports. Not that I care about, but attacking and smearing people's business careers is getting to be too much (ex. Peter Quinn).

Many Linux supporters advertise. I personally don't see advertising to be a bad thing, it could be very good for consumers since they get to find out about new products and learn about them, which otherwise, they might miss on making good choices.

When analysts and reporters abuse their access privileges instead of being objective and factual, they should to be exposed to lose their credibility. Creating all that FUD about FOSS is being fueled by research funded by MS. Many of the lackey journalists spin it in their own way and they seem to compete to get the best spin and win the most. And to let you on a secret, my first post was supposed to go under another topic. Sneaking a post while in the middle of other things gets one in trouble.

Abe: You did bring out some excellent points. Of course, these lousy writers can editorialize and use generalizations which is just their opinion. They get to do that because we have freedom of the press. As readers, we can point out and challenge their work and by going after their lack of specifics figuratively slap them around.

I feel we live in interesting times.