I DON’T GET PISSED OFF FOR LESS THAN $100,000 A YEAR

“Imagine what it took for Microsoft to piss off so many people that they’re all willing to work night and day without pay just to bring that company down.”

Bruce Perens, the open-source activist who tried and failed to bring Microsoft down while getting a regular paycheck from Hewlett-Packard, ZDNet, 23 January 2004

HIGH-SHREK SOLUTION

“The spirit of their characters and the spirit of their brand were very aligned with the spirit of our brand as well. We like the big green guy.”

Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, on riding the advertising coattails of Dreamworks’ ogre franchise, Hollywood Reporter, 22 January 2004

THE SEARCH TERM CALLED YOU

“I knew that when people Googled me, what came up was a lot of random stuff, and I wanted to control what was found about me. And O.K., I also loved to see how manytimes I got Googled in a week.”

Entrepreneur Mark Pincus, on buying his name as an ad on Google, The New York Times, 22 January 2004

MUST-FLEE TV

“Use of the Internet is reducing television viewing around the world while having little impact on positive aspects of social life.”

UCLA researcher Jeffrey Cole, on how the Internet is making life better for everyone besides TV network execs, Sydney Morning Herald, 20 January 2004

IT’S ALL FUN AND GAMES UNTIL SOMEONE LOSES A DOMAIN NAME

“We take our trademark seriously, but in this case maybe a little too seriously.”

Microsoft flack Jim Desler, demonstrating his company’s hastily discovered sense of humor about Canadian teenager Mike Rowe’s eponymous website, mikerowesoft.com, Forbes.com, 20 January 2004