My post last Friday with caveats about Microsoft AntiSpyware has drawn the ire of one person who read that post here as well as the one republished by Murdok.
Link: Murdok article on Microsoft AntiSpyware
Link: Original post.
An email today from Anthony Shields begins:
“Your article, which is also found in an email from Murdok at their site, is horrendous journalism.”
That got my attention. He points out that the PCWorld article from which I quoted in my post contains some inaccuracies in its negative writing about the Microsoft product, and continues:
“It is this type of self-serving journalism that I despise. You read something somewhere and it must be true – even though you have the means/the program to try it yourself, yet you still spread such untruth – just to jump onto the Anti-Microsoft bandwagon I suppose. That’s horrendous and is against the true spirit of journalism.”
Well, this is the first time I’ve been accused of being a journalist, let alone practicing horrendous journalism. On Anthony’s last point: I’m not on anyone’s bandwagon, never mind an anti-Microsoft one (and I’m not on that one, either).
Yes, I am using Microsoft AntiSpyware and I do think it’s rather good, especially the real-time preventative measures it takes as I wrote in my post. Definitely worth trying out, as I mentioned. But not yet good enough to make me use it instead of Ad-Aware or Spybot Search and Destroy, as I concluded in my post. It’s still beta, don’t forget.
In addition to PC World’s criticisms, Moss Waltberg wrote in the Wall Street Journal with similar ones.
When I read such reviews, I form some opinions myself which, taking into account as well what I think about the product from using it, will influence what I write in this blog. I didn’t write a full-blown review, just some short commentary.
Yet these are only two reviews. There are plenty of others out there, some of which voice similar concerns, many of which don’t.
I write a blog not practice journalism. But is there a difference, really? In Anthony Shields’ eyes, I guess there’s not when he reads something in a blog. That is indeed an interesting development.
So is it blogging or horrendous journalism? I think the answer is in the eye of the beholder.
Neville Hobson is the author of the popular NevilleHobson.com blog which focuses on business communication and technology.
Neville is currentlly the VP of New Marketing at Crayon. Visit Neville Hobson’s blog: NevilleHobson.com.
