--Microsoft, internal document [PDF]

WE have begun assembling resources about Slashdot, which markets itself as "news for geeks" (the parent company was named similarly) while actually providing distractions for geeks. AstroTurfing in Slashdot is a subject we're covered for over half a decade and Slashdot was recently grooming patent trolls, not just harbouring Internet trolls.

"...Slashdot was recently grooming patent trolls, not just harbouring Internet trolls."Microsoft Nick, also known as Nick Kolakowski, is described as "a senior editor at Slashdot." His previous employer says: "Nicholas Kolakowski is a staff editor at eWEEK, covering Microsoft and other companies in the enterprise space" (Microsoft was his sole focus and he was never criticising Microsoft for its illegal activities, just reciting its PR, from which he made a career).

We recently predicted that there would be a lot of propaganda (PR) to disguise a major collapse within Microsoft [1, 2, 3] and the latest announcement seems to suggest redundancies are afoot. But will Slashdot cover the truth rather than play Microsoft's tune? Of course not. "Here is the slashvertisement announcing the Microsoft reorg," wrote a reader to us, pointing to this whitewash. It's not even a post, but an article from Microsoft Nick, Nick Kolakowski. What is Slashdot becoming? "It seems like nothing more than a doubling down on the "One Microsoft Way," the reader told us. "I suppose the shills and astroturfers will be back from their briefings soon and back online."

"So basically," he says, "the softers have a forum dedicated for their use but which channels FOSS when otherwise idle." ⬆