“No one ever got fired for buying an IBM product.” This is considered, by many, the advertising formula more effective than ever. Too bad it’s also an example of bad marketing , that is, what Gene Amdahl, founder of Amdahl Corporation and, above all, former engineer of the same IBM, called FUD, ie ” fear, uncertainity and doubt “(fear, uncertainty and doubt). Method unfair to hit the competitors by leveraging on the uncertainty of the information and, above all, fear. If you buy IBM, you do not get fired. If you buy products made by another manufacturer, who knows .
Gene Amdhal was not the first to be attacked based FUD. However, it was he who coined the term . He had worked for years at IBM (where, by developing a new generation of mainframe computers, had revolutionized the industry) when, in 1970, he decided to leave to start his own business. He was not happy about the development prospects of the company. He decided to create new machines (in those days computers were full-bodied and complex appliances) faster and less costosti. He founded the Amdahl Corporation, and invented new systems, more efficient and competitive and, at the same time compatible with versions of existing software and hardware. With Amdahl, IBM for the first time he found himself a competitor in the field, and he was brave. In response, in addition to developing new models, he resorted to marketing .
Each representative of IBM had the task of keeping loyal customers. To do this, the easiest solution was to confuse and scare. Before promising the release of new generations of computers IBM, more reliable and secure, so there was no reason to change supplier. And then, using the classic concerns of corporate hierarchies in the face of novelty offering the subject, sguainavano the perfect phrase: “No one ever got fired for buying an IBM product,” . Subtext too clear: IBM is a guarantee, no other suppliers. Would you risk your job?
The Dark Arts of FUD spread almost everywhere. Spread doubts and fears in customers to harm competition (which offers better deals) becomes a weapon available to various companies. case history is that of Microsoft , which in the ’80s and’ 90s turns the techniques of “fear, uncertainty and doubt” against its competitors, such as Digital Research.
These were the years of Win3.1, and Redmond had a beautiful thought: AARD code. It was a code segment, present in the beta version of Windows 3.1, which allowed the program to see if Windows was run on MS-DOS (owned by Microsoft) or alternative operating systems such as DR-DOS (the fact of Digital Research ). In the second case, the program had to bring up an error screen . Objective: to intimidate users.
If you had but chose to press “C”, Windows 3.1 would work smoothly even on DR-DOS . So, it was not a boycott. It was something more subtle: the alarm had been launched, the suspicion remained together to concerns. A subtle form of manipulation, using the weapon of fear. The consequences that top Microsoft hoped were clear: users would have had to leave DR-DOS . This is confirmed by a note of Brad Silverberg, vice president of the company, which emerged during the Microsoft antitrust case that pitted the United States of America: “ What the user is supposed to do is to feel uncomfortable, and when to he has bugs, That suspect the problem is DR-DOS and then go out to buy MS-DOS “(” What you should do is feel uncomfortable and, I if there are bugs, think that the problem is DR-DOS and go buy MS-DOS “).
That the use of these dark arts by Microsoft is well aware, it can be seen in so-called “Halloween documents”, a series of internal memos of the company Bill Gates announced with the internal leak and published by activist Eric S. Raymond. Several top Microsoft were discussing the best strategies to use to counter the advance on the market of open source software , trying to discredit the validity. In this case, were not spared efforts to FUD: first confusing users, that is, by providing a platform with an open source Microsoft for those who want to intervene and correct any problems. An alternative preferred products created licensed OSS (Open Source Software), that they have no control and risk their virality. Then attacking: the free software are illegal because they violate at least 235 patents Microsoft. And finally, creating fear, “if an open source software breaks down, who fixes it?”, He explained in a movie. And who had more desire to leave Microsoft Office?
With the FUD all fear, doubt becomes a weapon . Small alarms that cause common reactions, choices manipulated for commercial purposes. The computer scare those who use it and not even realize there. Then, of course, there is also the opposite phenomenon: Apple which claims victim of operations FUD . In this way it relies on the fact that, now, the techniques of FUD are more and more known also by non-specialists. In this way it does not hurt others, but defends his reputation.
It has been labeled as the case of the so-called FUD “bendgate”, ie the fact that the iPhone 6, if carried in your pocket, could bend (but then it has solved). They are to consider operation of fear, uncertainity and doubt also read some news about financial difficulties of Apple and those who talk about cutting production of the iPhone. Is it true? It will be false? Controsmentita in denial and you lose sight of the truth. Lack reference points, the player who is stronger. And when in doubt, you begin to shake.
No comments:
Post a Comment