On previous occasions we wrote about Gartner's Magic Quadrant [1, 2], which the firm is now being sued over (preferential placements likely for customers such as Microsoft and private investors like Bill Gates). From ZDNet: [via]
Friday October 23rd will see Gartner argue a motion to dismiss a complaint by ZL Technologies Inc about the famed Gartner Magic Quadrant. According to court papers, Gartner will argue to dismiss based on First Amendment rights citing that the Magic Quadrant is not meant to represent statements of fact but is based on pure opinion.
IDG operates similar groups and practices using IDC and its Web site too remarks on the case:
On Friday, a judge in San Jose will hear arguments regarding Gartner's motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed in May by ZL Technologies that seeks to not only eviscerate the Magic Quadrant but also punish Gartner severely for ever having foisted it upon the IT world. (That some of you are cheering grants ZL's case not a scintilla of validity, but point taken.)
For those who believe that the plaintiff's arguments lack substance, here is another allegation and selected antitrust exhibits that involve Gartner and Microsoft [1, 2, 3, 4]. This is not much different from what analysts in Wall Street are doing to drive stocks up and down (see video below). ⬆
They don't care about the users and issuing a few bytes with random characters costs them next to nothing. It gives them control over billions of human beings.
If even one media outlet told you in 2010 that Microsoft would fall from 100% (of Web requests) to about 1 in 8 Web requests, you'd probably struggle to believe it
