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How to Contact Your Congress Person and Complain
I could charitably be described as "politically disinterested". The last time I voted was for Perot. So, for me to want to write a congress person is huge. This Real Names / Microsoft thing is bad.
If you read this weblog and you live in the U.S. then please, please contact your congress person and send them feedback. I've written a sample email (or posting to a web form) and given you all the links.
- Start here: http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/ziptoit.html
- Add your zip code (I'm 01908) and click "Submit It".
- You'll get a page back with all the email addresses and web forms to give them your feedback. Customize the sample email below. Remember that every single state probably has at least one company that partners with Microsoft so the comments really are valid.
Here's what I sent to Kennedy, Tierney and Kerry:
Hello,
My name is Scott Johnson and I have never before written to a senator. Please excuse any errors or mistakes that I make.
I am writing about Microsoft's conduct with respect to a small company in California named Real Names. I know that California is not in your jurisdication but MANY companies in Massachusetts partner with Microsoft and Microsoft's conduct, in situations like this, will hurt companies in Massachusetts. Valuable high tech companies that produce high paying jobs will be hurt if Microsoft continues these practices. For example: Real Names employs 80 people who are now being laid off.
Short Summary
Real Names is a small company in California in the business of making it easier for anyone using a web browser, including Microsoft's own browser, to go to a company's web site by entering something like "Exxon Oil" and then your computer automatically figuring out that this is
www.exxon.com. Another example is that you can TODAY type in "Senator Kennedy" and automatically be sent to: http://www.senate.gov/~kennedy/. This will stop working shortly if Microsoft isn't stopped.Real Names has partnered with Microsoft for several years and, now, when their contract is up for renewal, they are finding that:
* Microsoft won't renew: "It isn't about money. Even if you paid we would not renew" (from the web page below). (Note -- Real Names was trying to re-negotiate since the stock market is much lower than it used to be)
* Microsoft has taken the former Microsoft employee who used to be responsible for the Real Names relationship and given him the task of DUPLICATING the Real Names product:
"Now, Bill Bliss - who runs MSN Search and was until recently in charge of the RealNames relationship, has in the last few weeks been moved to "Natural Language Platforms" and is charged with developing a variant of our system. The browser is now back under Microsoft's control and it is likely that - having learned much from RealNames - it will develop its own version of our resolution service." (from the web page below)
Cross References:
This is fully documented at:
http://scriptingnews.userland.com/realNamesMicrosoft
Thank you for your attention to this matter. Please feel free to ask me any questions about this matter. I am a professional high tech worker with a 15 year track record of both observing and working with Microsoft.
Scott
J. Scott Johnson, President | The Fuzzy Group, LLC
Physical
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
80 Spring Road
Nahant, MA 01908
Phone:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
781 592 0262 - home
617 970 4719 - cell
Virtual:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * sjohnson@fuzzygroup.com
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