Seems like the “Wow” now has already begun in Australia, and I’m not talking about the popular online game. A couple Microsoft and Australia stories to bite into this morning. The first involves Australian author Rick Jelliffe who was approached by a Microsoft’s Open XML Technical Evangelist Doug Mahugh to edit a Wikipedia entry:

So I was a little surprised to receive email a couple of days ago from Microsoft saying they wanted to contract someone independent but friendly (me) for a couple of days to provide more balance on Wikipedia concerning ODF/OOXML.

Doug Mahugh admits in a Slashdot comment that he was the one who contacted Jelliffe and that “nobody … asked [Jelliffe] to ‘make edits and corrections favorable to’ Microsoft.”

The Age:

While Wikipedia is known as the encyclopedia that anyone can tweak, founder Jimmy Wales and his cadre of volunteer editors, writers and moderators have blocked public-relations firms, campaign workers and anyone else perceived as having a conflict of interest from posting fluff or slanting entries. So paying for Wikipedia copy is considered a definite no-no.

“We were very disappointed to hear that Microsoft was taking that approach,” Wales said.

Assuming the information in the article is inaccurate then why does it matter who edits the information? Wikipedia shouldn’t focus on who edits the information as much as answering the question: is the information accurate? Is it factual? Is it that hard for the swarm of overzealous editors to remove bias?

Yesterday I read how Wikipedia is adding NOFOLLOW to all external links in an effort to curb spam. From what I’ve seen, the spam situation hasn’t improved since NOFOLLOW came into existence so all this does is penalize in the search engines reliable sources. I thought part of the reason of having a human edited engine was to identify spam and be able to more quickly edit it out? Using an artificial response with NOFOLLOW on every link?

I digress.

If the information is accurate then Microsoft takes a PR hit for Mahugh attempting to pay “for work” to manipulate the facts. I didn’t delve deeply enough to learn whether the information in question was accurate or inaccurate, and will leave that discussion for the comments/trackback area below. Personally, I don’t see why anybody in Redmond is that concerned when they have their own Encyclopedia (Encarta). Wikipedia has been proven to have inaccurate information many times before, so it wouldn’t surprise me if the information was slanted and biased, despite Wikipedian efforts to be above reproach. As long as people are involved there will always be errors and inaccuracies. The human race is fallable.

Don Dodge, Director of Business Development for Microsoft’s Emerging Business Team, blames this on publication hyperbolic titles and the actions of a lower level employee (pretty condescending, Don):

I am sure “Microsoft” would never have approved this employee reaching out to Mr. Jelliffe in this way, but “Microsoft” can’t control all the actions of all its employees. This employee was well meaning, but handled this all wrong. Any PR person or VP level person would have known how this seemingly innocent request could potentially be twisted in a news headline, and would have never approved it.

Microsoft still gets a black eye for admitting they tried to pay their way into a Wikipedia edit.

Next up is news that Microsoft isn’t offering Vista’s anytime upgrade option to Australia:

“Microsoft in Australia has no current plans to offer Windows Anytime Upgrade. This service will only be available in the US, Canada, Europe and Japan at the time of Windows Vista launch,” a Microsoft spokeswoman said.

Aussies will also be restricted to access the Vista Family Discount Program available in US and Canada only which allows buying two additional Vista Ultimate for $49 USD. That sucks.

The Blog Columnist, an Aussie, isn’t happy about the information:

Dear Microsoft:
RE: There is a World Outside of North America. Where do I begin …

My programming friend Forser from Sweden laments international problems like this all the time in IRC. Usually it’s contest-related, not buying new products related, and Microsoft isn’t the only company to do this. Why wouldn’t Microsoft offer Australia the same deals as US and Canada? Am I missing something from a trade perspective that makes Australia that different from the US and Canada?

• Wikipedia socially inept or socially accurate?
• Wikipedia contributor and content rich but still cash poor
• Anon users barred from creating new Wikipedia articles
• Wikipedia tightens the editorial screws
• When will Vista really come out?
• [EXPIRED] If you can get through watch videos and get free Vista and Office 2007, limited offer!