Microsoft’s Frontpage 2002 has just been released — and with this disparaging piece of text in it’s EULA^?:

“You may not use the Software in connection with any site that disparages Microsoft, MSN, MSNBC, Expedia, or their products or services, infringe any intellectual property or other rights of these parties, violate any state, federal or international law, or promote racism, hatred or pornography.”

Now, come on! I know that they’ll retract this after anyone who isn’t a totalitarian maniac collectively blows up about it. I know this will happen, so I don’t really care about the after-effects. What I do wonder and worry about is how in the hell could a company with so many talented, obviously intelligent people come up with something so blindingly arrogant, brash, and just plain STUPID?! That is one thing that really, really irks me about large corporations and the culture they provide.

Just think — THERE HAD TO BE A MEETING ABOUT THIS. Whenever I see a blantantly dunderheaded move on the part of a company, or even just an obviously wrong piece of marketing, i think “There had to be a meeting about this”. Where good, smart people who drive in the same cars we do, walk the same streets, breathe the same air, get together in a room, and make horribly inane decisions. Think. For. Yourself. Don’t check your intelligence, your common sense, your rationality at the door to your workplace. If something doesn’t sit right with you — object. You’ll feel better about it in the morning.

Oh, and you’ll be happy to know that this website was not edited, manufactured, or in any way touches a piece of Microsoft Technology… and I think MSNBC isn’t worth the pixels it pushes to me or the photons on my TV… and I fully promote pornography… of Matt Lauer.