Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

[Incandenza]

Default Microsoft website:
http://www.microsoft.com/businessproductivity/default.mspx


Polish-language Microsoft website:
http://www.microsoft.com/poland/businessproductivity/default.mspx


(via LA Observed)

[erwin]

Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

Both people in the middle in those two pics could almost be candidates for the 'People sitting down who look like dwarves' thread.

[Guest]

Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

Oh, I see ... you're not trying to make some point about the translation ...

How do you know this is only specifically for Poland? How do you know it wasn't just an updated edition of the photo, because they thought the guy in the middle was ugly or something? Why do you leap instantly to the conclusion that it appears you are trying to leap to?

[Guest]

Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

There's a decades-old tradition of black people (not just black Americans) either having their skin tone substantially lightened/bleached in media photographs, or being airbrushed out of the pictures entirely. It's a long-running and awful practice.

I remember when Highbury's North Bank was being made all-seater in the early 1990s, and Arsenal erected a painted mural of crowd faces behind that goal for a season or two. Shortly after it went up, Kevin Campbell said to George Graham: "Boss, why are there no black people in the crowd?" The mural subsequently got a few more licks of paint.

Having said that, Arsenal have more black fans than most clubs, so it's rather unlikely that it occurred out of anything other than simple forgetfulness.

[Guest]

Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

That's undoubtedly true, and despicable as you say, but Inca can't claim this as an example of 'look at those nasty racist Poles', unless he has evidence that it was specifically for Poland and specifically done via race-hate objectives.

[Guest]

Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

Both heads look like they could have been 'Photoshopped' on, which just means they use the same crappy format, depending on their target market?

It'd be interesting to see similar adverts, for some other likely countries, eg. Japan, Nigeria, Australia, Brazil, India and see the racial profiles there?

[Guest]

Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

Yes, it would.

[Incandenza]

Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

Uh, were did I ever claim that this was nasty racist Poles? If anything, it's nasty racist Microsoft (I've edited the thread title to make this more clear). At the very least, it's some seriously questionable (and bad Photoshop--go to the Polish-language website and look at the full picture). Not nearly as incompetent as Toronto's efforts to Photoshop in a black guy, though.

Someone on Twitter found this (http://twitter.com/bscofield). As AB says, this isn't the first time something like this has happened, and it won't be the last. I have no idea why Microsoft felt the need to insert a white guy in a black guy's place for their Polish-language website.

CNET article:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10317744-56.html

[Guest]

Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

I have no idea why Microsoft felt the need to insert a white guy in a black guy's place for their Polish-language website.

It still hasn't been proven that it was only for the Polish-language website, never mind that the decision, even if it was only for Poland, was made for racist reasons.

Why would anyone start a thread on OTF relating to something about which they, quote from above, "had no idea"? Ulterior motives?

I note the change of thread title - It was originally, 'Fear of a black Poland.'

[WOM]

Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

Jeebus, but you're a little defensive about Poland this evening.

[Incandenza]

Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

Lodzubelieveit wrote:

Why would anyone start a thread on OTF relating to something about which they, quote from above, "had no idea"? Ulterior motives?

Wow, really?

[Brandenburger Toro]

Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

Come on Lodz, if we weren't allowed call every single one of your friends in Spain a racist, at least let us do it to each and every Pole you know.

[WOM]

Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

Finally, a drunken Irishman to talk a little sense into the thread.

Give us a jig now, paddy.

[EIM]

Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

It's clear to me Inca has ulterior motives. The snidey fucking bastard. Come on Inca, man up, spit it out. What are you angling for, you subversive creep?

What is it with you and Poland? Huh? Huh? HUH?

[Guest]

Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

It must've been a heck of a shock for that poor girl when she turned around to see the guy in the middle had suddenly changed colour.

[EIM]

Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

Lodz, I think you got the wrong end of the stick a bit.

Loathe as I am to put words in Inca's lovely mouth, but what I think he was getting at was that the really amazing thing about the picture is that they did it at all. After all, all Poles are either too poor to own computers, or too druink to use them.

In't that right, Inca?

[WOM]

Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

She said "I turn my black for just ten seconds, and suddenly..."

[WOM]

Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

EIM, he does have a lovely mouth, doesn't he? I've been too shy to say anything til now.

[EIM]

Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

No need to be shy, WOM. It's not like he doesn't know he has a lovely mouth. It's not a secret. To me he seems to revel in it.

[WOM]

Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

We were at an anti-Poland thing recently - not a conference...but more a gathering of like-minded individuals - and he seemed distracted somehow. Just, I dunno, not into it like he usually is.

Now I think I know what it was.

It was his mouth.

[EIM]

Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

Do you remember that time we all went to The Griffin, that pole dancing place on Clerkenwell Road?

Well obviously Inca was furious at the Eastern European connotation, but he still put his pound in the pint pot like every other punter. The girl came on, took her vest and pants off, and did her thing in the corner.

But half way through, her thighs wrapped tightly around the pole like a g-clamp, she stopped. Stopped and looked Inca dead in the eye.

"My," She said. "What a lovely mouth you have."

[WOM]

Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

It's like a weapon, but one he's not really sure whether to use for good or evil.

Once, we arrived late - don't make me go into why - at a Richard Thompson gig. Apparently he was really 'on' that night, remembering his lyrics and whatnot, when, as I mentioned, we walked in late. Everyone else was seated. And Richard, he sees Inca, right? And he stops. Just stops playing and says "the mouth..." and he stares. Well, people turn and look and all you hear is 'the mouth...the mouth...the mouth' from all over the hall. It came in waves as people noticed and then it died out. We eventually felt awkward and just left. We had to stay away from the house until midnight anyway - I'll explain that later -so we ended up just driving around in a cab until the money ran out.

[EIM]

Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

That reminds me of the time we were in Wetherspoons. It was a Wednesday, no wait, it can't have been. It must have been a Thursday because it was Curry Club night.

We were sat on the raised area that used to be the no smoking area before it went all no smoking. On the table near us were three old fellas, you know, archetypal pub dwellers. One, who I think is called Colin, Scottish fella, works at ASDA, used to go out with the cleaner who does the bus station, was drunk but could hold a coherent conversation. One was mad as a fucking otter. And the third sat there silently, too scared to fuck off these guys and go and sit on his own.

Anyway, a big lad in what I think was a Super Dry t-shirt came over and started being dead fucking lairy at these old fellas. He was leathered, swaying, spilling his double vodka and monster all over his reebok classics - and I mean seriously, who still wears reebok classics? The old fellas ignored him, and looking for an audience he turned to us.

But as he did, he caught a glimpse of Inca, and just went limp. "I USED TO HAVE A MOUTH." he yelled, before running off out of the pub, leaving a little damp trail of double vodka monster as he went.

[WOM]

Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

There was one time...I'm going to say it was 1978...maybe a bit later, and Inca calls up all angry. There's this band Warsaw he's got to go see. I'm like "Warsaw...what the fuck?, but before people wrote WTF. You know. Anyway, he's all bent on seeing Warsaw cuz he's on his usual Poland jag and thinks they might be good...or bad...or something, I dunno. I just needed out of the house, on account of mom and her 'Christmas bottle' of Blue Nun. So we go see them at some workingman's club or other in Manchester, and he sees the singer...Curtis something - and he's up there smiling and telling stories and singing old showtunes. Well, Inca starts in about Warsaw this and Gdansk that and Solidarity the other thing, and the bloke starts getting right bummed out, and singing darker and darker shit and getting moody. I think Inca really fucked him off.

Anyway, this Curtis kid finally yells "You know, you got a fuckin' mouth on you" and Inca, cool as you like, he goes 'Ya...ya, I do.' and he just turns and leaves. Like that, like.

[Incandenza]

Microsoft's Fear of a Black Poland

Keep it coming. I think this is the most I've ever been talked about on here.