Author: KarinsDad
Date: 12:27:50 10/19/99
Go up one level in this thread
On October 19, 1999 at 14:58:07, Scott Gasch wrote: > >Why is this a big deal? Admittedly someone did not post Krush's analysis >quickly enough. But now we have people saying that MS fixed the match... and >trying to stuff the ballot box. People complain that "people without windows >can't vote" when the only reason MS took that step was because people were >cheating (ballot stuffing) with the e-mail only authentication system. > >Now, granted, I think the security system and the fact that such cheating was >possible at all is lame. But let's remember that this is an online chess game. >One would hope the participants would act honorably and in a sportsman-like >manner. In the slashdot article it asks what would stop Kasparov from stuffing >the voting box with an inferior move. Well, I would hope his honor. > >A mistake was made when Krush's analysis was not posted immediately BUT that is >no reason to begin another round of MS bashing. I think this is ridiculous. >Next time MS decides to do something cool like this I hope they just don't >bother since this time it became political, people cheated, and MS got bashed >for their trouble. Now I realize that there is sponsorship, advertising, etc... >and that MS is not doing this out of the goodness of their hearts. But that >doesn't change the fact that this is a really cool thing that is now a big mess. > >Scott You miss several points: 1) Microsoft stated that cheating would be prevented. Then Joe Average goes in and cheats. The two ballet stuffing methods were not even sophisticated and made MS look like a bunch of amateurs. 2) This is the Internet, not a local Chess Club. People feel more detached over the Internet than they do with personal relationships with people. Because of that, average people have a greater tendency to be less sportsman-like and low lifes have a greater tendency to be downright criminal. 3) As you say, it was a very nice thing (regardless of motivation) for Microsoft to do. However, they did in it a negligent manner which does not speak highly of MS. Since Irina was the only REAL analyzer of the game (out of the 4 analysts and the moderator, not out of others), it was sheer lunacy to not go out of their way to ensure that her analysis was posted. And their excuse that nobody could enter the analysis after 4 PM is sheer sophistry. It takes about 5 seconds to update a web page to that level and I know many people at Microsoft that work way past 7 PM, let alone 4 PM. It was unfortunate for Microsoft that the other 3 analysts were so haphazard. I do not blame Microsoft for that, rather, I applaud Irina for working so hard until MS dropped the ball and let the game disintegrate. But, that was their fault, not her fault. If I was her, I would be just as annoyed that Microsoft bungled the project and I wouldn't supply any more analysis either. What a waste after all her hard work. I feel sorry for her, not for Microsoft. They deserve whatever bad publicity they get out of this (and note: I am not a Microsoft basher; I have friends at MS and my job is directly related to their work; however, they blew this one and it wasn't necessary; what a shame!). KarinsDad :)
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