Look what fell in my mailbox from MicroSoft

[Guest]

*FLIGHT/TRAIN SIMULATOR GAMERS *Microsoft gave Plaza Research your name as interested in these games. Weare currently conducting focus groups in Dallas, which will be on theevening of November 14th with Flight Simulator Enthusiasts. The focus groups in Chicago will be conducted on Friday and Saturday,November 15th & 16th with Flight and Train Simulator Enthusiasts. Qualified respondents will be compensated $75.00 for their time andopinions. If you are interested in learning more about this study and livein either the Dallas or Chicago area, please respond per the instructionsbelow:

[John_Cillis 2,406]

Did the mail come from Microsoft, or a "research" group? I get solicitations like this all the time, and usually the catch is that a fair amount of personal information is required--which is like gold to telemarketers and spammers. The interesting phrase is the "qualified respondents"..... I bet if people are deemed "unqualified", their personal information still ends up in someone's database....

[Guest]

Not to sound like a total crotchet, but why would anyone care if you were selected for a focus group relating to future FS releases... Most of us probably remember that news announcement on the front page a couple of months ago...

[Guest]

Did you get one? $75!

[Guest]

That's just great! Someone says it looks like they have been picked to provide input to Microsoft about upcoming simulator products and 2 people reply with "Screw You". Man, talk about pathetic attitudes. I'm glad you got picked friend! Carry our ideas to MS and help make a better product. $75 bucks? That's cool.Still waiting to see if they reply to me. I guess I'll just keep it a secret if no one on this board gives a crap.

[Guest]

Good for you. I live in Dallas as well and was hoping to get picked. Oh well, at least someone on the board got the call.....ed

[John_Cillis 2,406]

"...and 2 people reply with "Screw You"...."I don't know what it is about my reply that makes you take that view, but that isn't what I said or meant to the thread's author. If it's a legit offer, that's great, but I've lived long enough on this planet to approach freebies with caution. I suspect you haven't.... And THAT is pathetic, given that you seemed to feel my response was meant with animosity....

[Guest]

I got the same email - I'm in Chicago and already called them back. This is definately in response to the request they put out about a month ago. It'll be interesting to see what they want to know. Personally, I'm glad they're seeking user input this way - shows that their serious about it. If nothing else, getting paid for it basically covers my cost of FS2002.Mark

[John_Cillis 2,406]

If it's a legit offer, that's great for both of you. $75.00 is a drop in the bucket considering what most peers in these forums have invested in FS over the eons. In that sense, Microsoft certainly isn't giving you anything you haven't already given them tenfold.Good luck, and let us know what happens!

[Guest]

JohnCi,Perhaps my response was overly harsh. I went back and re-read your post and you were not out of line. These are the words (not in your response) that set me off."but why would anyone care if you were selected for a focus group relating to future FS releases."

[Guest]

problem is that you gave the impression that it was illegitimate because it has to do with Microsoft and that further people shouldn't help Microsoft with research into new products.That's what put people off, not the warning against illicit messages.Possibly it was just poor wording in your message, but that's how it reads.

[John_Cillis 2,406]

I attribute the misunderstanding to poor wording on my part. If Microsoft is sponsoring the research group, that's great. I was familiar with Microsoft's seeking participants in the meetings, but I thought that they'd be hosting and participating the meetings, as they do with most of my networking seminars. I was taken aback when I heard the word 'research group'. My caution came from the number of solicitations I receive from firms saying that they are related to Microsoft, when in fact they simply "pulled a name out of a hat" and are just soliciting. In this case, Microsoft must have outsourced, which is fine...