I should preface my first blog post with a little
background… I cut my teeth in the high-tech industry working for Oracle over a
10 year period in the 80s & 90s and therefore I’m a dyed in the wool anti-MSFT
person, and find this to be a new low for MSFT - suing
a blogger?

Dale Carneige first published "How to Win Friends and
Influence People" in 1937 and it was and still is a best seller.
Interestingly, the principles outlined are still relevant today.  I think
if you just read excerpts of the book’s review, it is obvious that the better
companies with strong customer service canons employ many of these same
principles when they create customer advisory councils or beta groups for new
products coming out.

From the review….

• underlying principles of dealing with people so that they
  feel important and appreciated.
• fundamental techniques for handling people without making
  them feel manipulated.
• how to make people like you, win people over to your way of
  thinking, and change people without causing offense or arousing resentment.

But I am not sure where in Carneige’s book it discusses
suing people?  Microsoft might need to review the book again and take it
to heart when dealing with bloggers.  MSFT certainly is not going to be
winning friends and influencing people by suing them!  — Lauren Ames