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Blog-snooping corporations
Jan. 16th, 2007 07:52 pmA colleague at another library in our group posted some negative remarks to a personal blog, one that has no obvious connection with employer or personal name. The blogger mentioned the vendor we dislike, SirsiDynix, by name, but leetified the name to S!rs!Dyn!x and one of the obnoxious software products to W0rkFl0ws. The remarks were more directed against the management of the Big Messed-Up Consortium and their air-headed trainers than at the vendor itself.
However, within an hour or so a snippy e-mail reply was received from the vendor, implying that the blogger wasn't paying attention or was evidently too dumb to understand the product and should ask for help.
I maintain that this was entirely inappropriate on the part of the vendor. First of all, snooping around on the web like that suggests that they were looking for people to sue for saying negative stuff about them and/or looking for their own employees saying negative stuff so they could punish them. That's despicable in my opinion.
Secondly, although the blog in question is publicly readable, it does not invite comments from strangers particularly, and certainly not that sort of comment. At best, the vendor rep should have asked questions in order to better understand the situation before spouting off glib answers. This is a company that won't let you see the product documentation before you sign a contract. To me, that ought to queer any deal right out of existence.
Snowstorm aftermath in full swing here. The following high pressure center has arrived, the sky is clear, and the temperature is dropping like a stone. Down to 8°F. already, headed for -3°F. tonight they say.
Now I'm going to shut everything off to install a KVM switch so that I don't need extra keyboards and mice floating around my desk. If it works, I may be back.
Edit: It does work, though the PS/2 mouse I switched back to obviously needs cleaning.
However, within an hour or so a snippy e-mail reply was received from the vendor, implying that the blogger wasn't paying attention or was evidently too dumb to understand the product and should ask for help.
I maintain that this was entirely inappropriate on the part of the vendor. First of all, snooping around on the web like that suggests that they were looking for people to sue for saying negative stuff about them and/or looking for their own employees saying negative stuff so they could punish them. That's despicable in my opinion.
Secondly, although the blog in question is publicly readable, it does not invite comments from strangers particularly, and certainly not that sort of comment. At best, the vendor rep should have asked questions in order to better understand the situation before spouting off glib answers. This is a company that won't let you see the product documentation before you sign a contract. To me, that ought to queer any deal right out of existence.
Snowstorm aftermath in full swing here. The following high pressure center has arrived, the sky is clear, and the temperature is dropping like a stone. Down to 8°F. already, headed for -3°F. tonight they say.
Now I'm going to shut everything off to install a KVM switch so that I don't need extra keyboards and mice floating around my desk. If it works, I may be back.
Edit: It does work, though the PS/2 mouse I switched back to obviously needs cleaning.
