Bonum Certa Men Certa

The Register Has Been Mostly Microsoft Propaganda Disguised as 'News' After That Microsoft Partnership (Money)

Perception management operations 'on the cheap' (mere 'slush funds' to Microsoft)

I can see Microsoft critics. We don't need to refute our critics if we can just bribe them.



Summary: The Register (or El Reg) is becoming more of a Microsoft megaphone again; it all makes sense if one goes back a decade and a half to their Microsoft partnership (preceded by a lot of harsh criticisms of Microsoft)

THE VARIOUS "Linux" podcasts have more lately spoken quite a bit about "WSL"; it seems like a coordinated charm offensive, facilitatef partly by Microsoft and partly by Canonical. Similarly, in recent days we saw Red Hat pushing .NET quite a few times and some Python podcasts had Microsoft as guests. It's very clear Microsoft tries to dominate the discussion in order to push Windows, Visual Studio, GitHub, Azure and so on.



"It's very clear Microsoft tries to dominate the discussion in order to push Windows, Visual Studio, GitHub, Azure and so on.""The Register on "Microsoft Linux"," one reader wrote to us last night, is a trend worth taking stock of. "We would be familiar with the typical Microsoft strategy," he explained. "In this case, "partner" with a Linux company, generate some mindshare goodwill, then make sure the Linux subsystem isn't any use and will only run on Windows."

He cited yesterday's article about "multipass" -- a project Canonical released on... Microsoft GitHub. And guess whose agenda the article promotes....

As our reader put it (somewhat rudely): "What the fuck was Canonical thinking in 'partnering' with the borg?"

"No, we haven't missed the irony of Microsoft lovers with virtually no history in GNU/Linux development taking the 'lead' on this."He also took note of Canonical's decision to give Microsoft money for WSL's propaganda outlet. We alluded to this before.

"This is what Lenin refereed to supporters of Soviet-ism in the west "useful idiots"," our reader asserted, pointing to some of the culprits (we'll try to keep this impersonal and therefore redact some bits).

No, we haven't missed the irony of Microsoft lovers with virtually no history in GNU/Linux development taking the 'lead' on this. Nor have we overlooked their disdain for GNU/Linux and tacit support for Microsoft's patent blackmail against GNU/Linux. This is what WSL is. These are the people who take the lead! The managers...

Back to our reader: "Censorship at The Register" has meanwhile been claimed as well. They apparently censor a lot of comments that don't suit the narrative Microsoft wants. "Do an article on what advertising revenue (bribery) The Register gets from Microsoft, same with ZDNet and the rest," the reader said.

"They apparently censor a lot of comments that don't suit the narrative Microsoft wants."We actually wrote a lot about that in the past. Heck, we have a whole wiki page with articles about ZDNet -- a site I repeatedly encourage people to boycott (nowadays it's managed by a Microsoft fan, not even a closeted one, who writes clickbait as headlines and we know for whose agenda).

Our reader is certainty aware. It's difficult not to notice.

"I have a new slogan for The Register," he said. "The Register, whatever you do, don't mention 'MICROSOFT'. I'm afraid the Reg has gone bad for a long time. The only time you read about Linux is in relation to the MICROSOFT Linux sub-system, or Linux in relation to malware, but when it's on Windows then it's referred to as "banking" malware, else they keep pushing 'cloud' solutions."

A lot of their "Linux" or "FOSS" coverage (more so nowadays) comes from Microsoft Tim, just like Microsoft Peter (the pedophile) at Ars Technica up until his arrest. Their whole "Open Source" section was nothing except Microsoft lies and marketing. Literally all of it was just that when he was arrested. Need we mention that Ars Technica UK was -- by admission/confession made to me by its editor -- funded by Microsoft? Guess what dominated that site until it perished...

But let's go back to The Register. Microsoft Tim's case merits a post of his own. It's like Microsoft took journalistic authority over "Linux" and "FOSS". It calls the shots and sets the tone/narrative at The Register. Another person who once had this role, Ashley Vance, is nowadays doing propaganda pieces for Microsoft at even larger publishers (like some mythical Arctic vault -- basically fake news that helped distract from ICE controversies).

The reader suggested doing this search or that search. Find a negative article below...

Microsoft puff pieces



Microsoft Windows puff pieces



Need we remind readers that back in the old days The Register was renowned for Microsoft criticism?

Then Microsoft struck a partnership with The Register (yes, money involved).

"I've also noticed it's hard to find announcements of Bill Gates bribes (payments for particular publishes) -- which they openly disclose initially -- because they're once paid they're googlebombing the relevant search phrases with puff pieces (paid-for lies)."We would need to unearth that old article about the El Reg-Microsoft partnership. "Probably found in the 2003 or 2004 series," an associate of ours recalls, "but just as an announcement... not necessarily a main article."

These things are hard to find after all these years. I've also noticed it's hard to find announcements of Bill Gates bribes (payments for particular publishes) -- which they openly disclose initially -- because they're once paid they're googlebombing the relevant search phrases with puff pieces (paid-for lies). It's a real problem and it goes beyond advertising money. In the past we also showed examples of Bill Gates paying publishers critical of him and of Microsoft; soon afterwards they deleted all those past articles. It seemed rather clear what they were paid for.

Recent Techrights' Posts

Working for Freedom Makes You a Target
it's not about what you do but about who gets served
Claim That IBM Mass Layoffs Began Again in Europe, With Rumours It'll Close Offices
Unless IBM issues a statement (admission) to the media or issues WARN notices (in the US), the lousy media will simply assume - however wrongly - that nothing is happening and there's nothing to report
The "Alicante Mafia" - Part IX - EPO Budget Funnelled Into Cocaine and Moreover Rewards Cocaine-Addicted Management for Getting Busted by Police
Any day that passes without European media and European politicians doing anything about it merely discredits the media and the EU (or national governments)
 
Links 23/01/2026: Growing Censorship, Intel Falls (Another Bubble, Propped Up by Cheeto Bailout), and Huge GAFAM Layoffs Continue
Links for the day
Appeasing Bullies Doesn't Work
The reason we're still here and very active is that we're good at what we do
How Microsoft Will Tell Shareholders That the Business is Failing in a Few Days
It'll resort to "AI" storytelling (lying about slop having potential for some unspecified future year)
Flying to See Today's Talk by Richard Stallman
It's probably not too late to reserve a seat for today's talk
The Fall of Freenode Didn't Kill IRC and the Web's Issues (Not Limited to LLM Slop) Didn't Kill Everything
As long as there are enough people willing to keep the simple (or "old") stuff it'll refuse to die
GAFAM Layoffs by Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) Hide the Real Scale of Their Financial Troubles
the "official" numbers of layoffs will never tell the true story
'Domesticated' Animals Not More Valuable Than Free-range Wildlife, Proprietary ('Commercial') Software Isn't Better Than Free Software
the proprietary software giants (companies like SAP or Microsoft) have a lot of lobbyists
Richard Stallman Won't Talk About "AI", He'll Talk About Chatbots and LLMs Lacking Any Intelligence
This really irritates people who dislike the message; so they attack the person
Slopfarms Still Fed by Google, Boosting Fake 'Articles' That Pretend to Cover "Linux"
At this point about 80-90% of the search results appear not to be slopfarms
Gemini Links 23/01/2026: The Danish Approach to Deepfakes and Random vi Things
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Thursday, January 22, 2026
IRC logs for Thursday, January 22, 2026
Five Years Ago, After We Broke the Story About Richard Stallman Rejoining the FSF's Board, All Hell Broke Loose (for Me and My Family)
They generally seem to target anyone who thinks Richard Stallman (RMS) should be in charge or thinks alike about computing
Links 22/01/2026: Slop Fantasy About Patents, Retirement in China Now Reached at Age Seventy
Links for the day
Gemini Links 22/01/2026: Why Europe Does Not Need GAFAMs, XScreenSaver Tinkering, FlatCube
Links for the day
Salvadorans' Usage of GNU/Linux Measured at Record Levels
All-time high
Links 22/01/2026: Ubisoft Layoffs Disguised as "RTO", US "Congress Wants To Hand Your Parenting To GAFAM", Americans' Image Tarnished Among Canadians (Now Planning to "Repel US Invasion")
Links for the day
10 Easy Steps to Follow for Digital Sovereignty in Nations That Distrust GAFAM et al
When "enough is enough"
No, the Problem at IBM/Red Hat Isn't Diversity
Microsoft Lunduke also openly shows his admiration for Pedo Cheeto
Do Not Link to Linuxiac Anymore, Linuxiac Became a Slopfarm
now Linuxiac is slop
Dr. Andy Farnell Explains Why Slop Companies Like Anthropic and Microsoft 'Open' 'AI' Basically Plunder and Rob People
This article was published last night at around 10
Richard Stallman (RMS) at Georgia Tech Tomorrow
After the talk we'll write a lot about "cancel culture" and online mobs fostered and emboldened in social control media
Software Patents by Any Other Name
There is no such thing as "AI" patents
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, January 21, 2026
IRC logs for Wednesday, January 21, 2026
The "Alicante Mafia" - Part VIII - Salary Cuts to Staff, 100,000 Euros to Managers Busted Using Cocaine (for Doing Absolutely Nothing, Just Pretending to be "Sick")
Today we look at slides from the union
Gemini Links 22/01/2026: Forest Monk, Aurora Observation, and Arduino Officially Launches the More Powerful Arduino UNO Q 4GB Single-Board Computer
Links for the day
Next Week is Close Enough for Wall Street Storytelling About 'Efficiency' by Layoffs for "AI"
This coming week GAFAM and others will tell some creative tales about how "AI" something something...
Google News Still a Feeder of Slop About "Linux", Which Became Rarer in 2026
Our main concern these days is what happened to Linuxiac. Bobby Borisov became a chatbots addict.
Links 21/01/2026: "Snap Settles Lawsuit on Social Media Addiction" and Attempts in the US to Revive Software Patents
Links for the day
Links 21/01/2026: Microsoft 'Open' 'Hey Hi' in More Trouble, US Has "Brown Shirts" Problem
Links for the day
Yesterday Afternoon The Register MS Published Paid Microsoft SPAM Disguised as an Article About "AI PCs"
The Register MS cannot help itself, can it? [...] Follow the money.
Microsoft's XBox is in Effect Dead Already, Now It's a Streaming and Advertising Platform
Expect many layoffs soon
Richard Stallman's Talk at Georgia Tech is Just 2 Days Away
We're still curious to see how malicious people (or trolls) in social control media will try to slant his talk as "bad"
EPO's Web Site Misused for Propaganda About Illegal Kangaroo Courts to Distract From EPO Scandals and Judicial Crisis in Europe
UPC is illegal and unconstitutional
The "Alicante Mafia" - Part VII - The Industrial Actions Began Yesterday, Here's Why
The "Alicante Mafia" might not last much longer
Gemini Links 21/01/2026: Edible Circuits and "Sayonara HTTP"
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, January 20, 2026
IRC logs for Tuesday, January 20, 2026
IBM Hides Its Own Destruction (and Red Hat's)
It's like scenes out of '1984', which is what a now-famous advertisement from Apple compared IBM to