Microsoft to Special Bloggers: Freebie Vista-Loaded Laptop

I looked on the front door porch. Nada. Ditto for the back door. I was looking for the Acer Ferrari laptop loaded with Vista and Office 2007 that Microsoft was sending to a long list of select bloggers.

Bass's Special List
With all my bad-mouthing of Microsoft, you might not be surprised to hear that I'm not on any of its lists--except that very special one that starts with a capital "S" and ends with a "t." I was put on that list in 1995 after making what were called "disparaging" remarks. It happened at PIBMUG, the users group I ran. Microsoft was there to show off Win 95 to the group's 2000 members. I was on stage doing the intro. The microphone wasn't working and a Microsoftie fiddled with it for a few minutes. When I got sound, I glibly said, "wow, that's the best tech support I've ever had from Microsoft." Wrong comment, I know, but I couldn't help myself. I've happily remained on the list ever since.

The Laptop Deal
The free laptops, according to 18-year old Long Zheng, a blogger living in Australia, aren't gifts, but review units to help bloggers become familiar with Vista. Recipients have options: Keep the computer, return it, or donate it to charity.

I don't know any of the bloggers on Zheng's list except for Ed Bott. Ed worked here at PC World eons ago. I know Ed and he's an ethical, by-the-book, straight arrow kinda guy. He has a different (and lengthy) take on the laptop business.

Ed's bottom line is the same as mine: We can't be bought or influenced.

My Vista Plan
While you're partying and watching football games, I'm going to take my time and install Vista on my old production PC.

I thought it would be good to install Vista on a squeaky clean machine. So I also asked TigerDirect if I could use a brand-new Venture VX2 Systemax PC for a little over a month. (FYI: It comes with an invoice. I have the option to ship it back in 45 days or pay the invoice.) It's a $2000 machine with an Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 2.66-GHz 1066FSB, Intel D975XBX 2KR S775 ATX motherboard, 2GB PC6400 800-MHz DDR2 RAM (see PC World test report), a 500GB RAID 0 Stripe SATA drive, and an ATI Radeon X1950 512MB video adapter (see test report).

I'll give you my impressions after I get back from the Consumer Electronics Show in a few weeks.

Quick aside: I've used lots of Systemax PCs in the last few years as a result of TigerDirect's annual Build Your Own PC Race. I compete with 25 other journalists to build the PC the fastest; win or lose, the fully loaded computer is handed over to a school of their choice. They've all been top-notch computers, ones I'd be happy to own. I know these rigs intimately, because for the last seven years, I've been the support person for the organization receiving the PCs.

I have to run. I think I hear the dogs barking at the DHL truck.