Bonum Certa Men Certa

Andre Da Costa: Profile of a Microsoft Shill

"It could be argued that Microsoft’s unethical Technology Evangelism (TE) practices are “old news”—i.e., that Microsoft stopped using these questionable TE practices long ago. This is very unlikely to be the case, for at least three reasons."

--James Plamondon, former Microsoft shill (aka 'Technology Evangelist')



We've mentioned this chap before, but we never got around to producing much evidence, unlike with others. We strive to map out those whom Microsoft pays (or "compensates") for their work defending Microsoft on the Web... or anonymously defaming its critics.

This one is not guilty of attacks against Microsoft critics, but mostly for exceptional amount of cheering for Microsoft around the Web; expertise seems to involve a great deal of copying&pasting of Microsoft press releases. If claims are true, he happens to be among people who received laptops from Microsoft because they are influential [1, 2].

“If claims are true, he happens to be among people who received laptops from Microsoft because they are influential.”Many examples have already been accumulated by people who watch this character closely and here is the latest.

One of our readers, who goes by the name "Goblin", says that "Chips over on Microsoft Watch manag[ed] to find a link to Andre Da Costa and pictures of the laptop he was allegedly given by Microsoft. Look at him, all smiles... I'm not surprised he supports Microsoft, poor lad is probably after more free gifts [...] If the allegation is true, what does it say about Microsoft. Target an impressionable lad in a poor country, send him a gift (which he probably wouldn't be able to afford) and then sit back and watch him promote your products in the hope of getting more. Sounds like $6000 well spent [...] if its true, is probably one of the lowest acts Microsoft has ever done."

Another reader remarks: "His face is on his profile page so it is not big news. Target an impressionable lad in a poor country, send him a gift..."

Look at the mouse pad. How can this not be a gift from Microsoft?

None of this should be particularly surprising because he behaves like others who are putting themselves up for sale, e.g.:

# Andre Da Costa May 23rd, 2008 at 10:53 pm

Hi Ashely,

You are linked on my Windows Community based website ‘Teching It Easy’ under the ‘My Favorite Spots’ category.

I am begging please let me win this MacBook Air, I am desperate for a laptop like this. I would appreciate it so much. If you let me win it I can even get additional links at popular websites where you can get to increase your readership. I want an Apple laptop so bad that I have gone as far as emailing Steve Jobs asking for a free MacBook Air, he replied with a polite ‘Sorry, but no’ Sent from my iPhone, LOL!. There are a number of reasons I need this notebook, its slim design, my Dell Latitude 840c died on me in February, I like the look of Leopard and I am just desperate right now.

Just to let you know how much I want this, I am leaving my cell number here: 1-876-421-6545


Microsoft, unlike Apple, feeds these people. We saw similar cases before where bloggers beg Microsoft for freebies (schwag) and Microsoft is happily exploiting this, even inviting this. It may just be part of the policy or strategy. Microsoft also bribes bloggers to attack Apple.

Comments

Recent Techrights' Posts

After Microsoft's Bankruptcy in Russia Android (Linux) Will Dominate Asia Completely
Windows probably peaked in "XP" or "2000"
India: Windows Falls to 50% in Desktops/Laptops and 8% Overall
laptops/desktops fell to 16% of the whole
statCounter: GNU/Linux Up to 4.7% "Market Share" This Month
30,000 Microsoft jobs may be eliminated by year's end
Microsoft is in Trouble and Microsofters Know It
"I've been happy on Win 3.11 for years."
Links 02/06/2025: Political Leftovers, DRM, and Patents
Links for the day
 
statCounter Sees Bing "Share" Falling Over 0.5% in One Month, Now Lower Than Before the ChatGPT/Bing Chat Hype
Bing has been part of the mass layoffs for quite some time
Microsoft's Demise is a Global Phenomenon
mass layoffs justified using mindless buzzwords
All-Time Highs for GNU/Linux in EU and the UK, All-Time Lows for Microsoft
Combining ChromeOS and GNU/Linux, it adds up to and almost reaches 6%
[Video] New Introduction to Richard Stallman's Contributions Including GNU Emacs, GNU/Linux, and Software Freedom
from the channel previously bullied for supporting RMS
Links 02/06/2025: South Korea to Vote, Russia Blitzed From Within
Links for the day
Links 02/06/2025: Microsoft Spins Layoffs as "Slop", Frontier Settles Lawsuit
Links for the day
When You Publicly Boast About Wanting to Violently Attack People (Even Colleagues) Finding a Job Will Prove Difficult
there's a lesson to be learned here
The Web We Lost, the Information Lost Due to Microsoft's Attacks on Companies Like Yahoo! (Before the LLM Slop Frenzy)
When it comes to news sites, what can we say?
Covering Corruption in Poland, Including a War on Science (Due to Bad Politicians)
What we're about to show is that skilled and experienced scientists in Poland are besieged by bureaucrats
Gemini Links 02/06/2025: "Star Wars Day" and "Security Day"
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Sunday, June 01, 2025
IRC logs for Sunday, June 01, 2025
The Openwashing Shills Initiative (OSI) - Part II: Lying to the IRS is a Big Issue
The OSI of today pretends to be something that it is not
Bloodlust and Love of Blades (Fascination With Murder) Nothing New Among Microsofters
Violence is not a joke and no group is magically entitled to make such "jokes"
Links 01/06/2025: Bird Flu, Food Price Inflation, and Growing US-China Hostilities
Links for the day
Links 01/06/2025: "Vibe Coding" Turns Out to be a Fraud and Amazon Merits Boycott, Argue Bloggers
Links for the day
Gemini Links 01/06/2025: "Stardust" and Ideal PC Setup
Links for the day
Links 01/06/2025: Windows TCO, Openwashing, "It's FOSS" Still Promoting Microsoft
Links for the day
Gemini Links 01/06/2025: Simplification and Networks Everywhere
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Saturday, May 31, 2025
IRC logs for Saturday, May 31, 2025
Google Bribes EFF. EFF Promotes LLM Slop as 'Fair Use'. To GAFAM It's a Low-Cost Lobby Hedge.
So the bribes pay off ("slush fund") and the word spreads
Slopwatch: Fake Text and Images, Financial Bubbles, and Scams in "Intelligent" Clothing
Sometimes what they mean by "AI" is just cheap labour somewhere else, as we discussed in IRC a few hours ago
Why Microsoft is Collapsing (Similar to What's Happening at IBM), As Insiders See It
IBM seems like one heck of a mess
Reliable Computing Means Free (Libre) Computing
Sites that want to promote security ought to deal with the biggest issues
Links 31/05/2025: US Court Orders Sides With RFE/RL, War Updates From Ukraine
Links for the day
Gemini Links 31/05/2025: ARM Server and power_supply Subsystem
Links for the day
Links 31/05/2025: Slop Stigmatised as Disinformation, Catalyst/Driver of "Death of Communication"
Links for the day
Common Sense 101: Do Not Write Blog Posts Saying You Want to Murder Colleagues (or Yourself)
Only crazy people would think stabbings are a joke
Microsoft Bankruptcy
"Microsoft unit in Russia to file for bankruptcy, database shows"
Techrights Does Not Compete With LLM Slop, It Exposes the Bastards, Plagiarists and Scammers Who Do That
People like Scam Altman, still facing a lawsuit from his own sister for sexual abuse against her
Links 31/05/2025: Microsoft-Connected Builder.ai is a Fraud and US is Purging Students Based on Race/Nationality
Links for the day
Gemini Links 30/05/2025: Limmat, Doomscrollers, and Arguments Parsing
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Friday, May 30, 2025
IRC logs for Friday, May 30, 2025