Microsoft racist?

[rehearser]

Software giant Microsoft has apologised for editing a photo to change a black man's head to that of a white man.

The picture, showing employees sitting around a desk, appeared unaltered on the firm's US website.

But on the website of its Polish business unit the black man's head was replaced with a white face, although the colour of his hands was unchanged.

Microsoft said it had pulled the image and would be investigating who made the changes. It apologised for the gaffe.

The altered image, which also featured an Asian man and a white woman, was quickly circulated online.

Bloggers have had a field day with the story, with some suggesting Microsoft was attempting to please all markets by having a man with both a white face and a black hand.

"The white head and black hand actually symbolise interracial harmony. It is supposed to show that a person can be white and black, old and young at the same time," said one blogger on the Photoshop Disasters blog.

Others have suggested the ethnic mix of the Polish population may have played a part in the decision to change the photo.

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/1498/msracism.jpg

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8221896.stm

IBTL

[ricoboxing]

http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/4439/75334588.jpg

[thelefteyeguy]

:arrowu:


it's grrrrr...eat!

[skeletor]

lol!!! KKF Approved

[Reign]

hot

[Ottomaddox]

The worst you can say about this case is that they pandered to local bigotry.
I don't think Microsoft is racist; they will screw over anybody if there's a dollar to be made, market share to be captured, or competitors to be crushed...

[jstaneon]

http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/4439/75334588.jpg

wow...you must be racist for changing the ad to market towards your target group. Shame on you.

[drowsy]

So what? The City of Toronto is racist too, see

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/toronto/archive/2009/06/10/city-digitally-adds-black-guy-to-fun-guide-cover-to-make-it-more-inclusive.aspx

"City digitally adds black guy to Fun Guide cover to make it more ‘inclusive’".

[ES_Revenge]

http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/4439/75334588.jpg

ROFL :lol:

[drowsy]

Notice how the original image is ucked up too
-- they intentionally put three actors of different races ;)

Every time I see this I just wanna puke on it.

[jstaneon]

I just found out that Pepsi is racist too. They dont have any black or white people in their advertisement in Japan!

http://i31.tinypic.com/ourvjt.jpg

[drowsy]

It looks like green people are quite underrepresented in Microsoft ads.

[BornRuff]

Software giant Microsoft has apologised for editing a photo to change a black man's head to that of a white man.

The picture, showing employees sitting around a desk, appeared unaltered on the firm's US website.

But on the website of its Polish business unit the black man's head was replaced with a white face, although the colour of his hands was unchanged.

Microsoft said it had pulled the image and would be investigating who made the changes. It apologised for the gaffe.

The altered image, which also featured an Asian man and a white woman, was quickly circulated online.

Bloggers have had a field day with the story, with some suggesting Microsoft was attempting to please all markets by having a man with both a white face and a black hand.

"The white head and black hand actually symbolise interracial harmony. It is supposed to show that a person can be white and black, old and young at the same time," said one blogger on the Photoshop Disasters blog.

Others have suggested the ethnic mix of the Polish population may have played a part in the decision to change the photo.

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/1498/msracism.jpg

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8221896.stm

IBTL

Na, just really bad at Photoshop.

[shannn]

The City of Toronto did that with its Fun Guide too :lol:
It's posted somewhere in OT

[Quiggie]

Well poland is like 99.9% white so it doesn't make sense to have racially diverse people on their commercials because they wouldn't relate to it. I just don't understand why they didn't edit out the asian guy too?

[mebiuspower]

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b330/schwarz_masa/thats_waisis.gif

[Broseph]

http://homepage.mac.com/aleksivic/.Pictures/humor/spotTheBusey.jpg

Mine trumps all of yours

[inteliii]

Well poland is like 99.9% white so it doesn't make sense to have racially diverse people on their commercials because they wouldn't relate to it. I just don't understand why they didn't edit out the asian guy too?


Exactly - thank you for the rational voice of reason.

[raymondly]

http://homepage.mac.com/aleksivic/.Pictures/humor/spotTheBusey.jpg

Mine trumps all of yours

LOL - the chick should have the Gary mug shot!
http://newhairstyles.mobi/img/NolteHair_74.jpg

[mlerner]

I'm not following. How is changing a photo racist? :confused: The most you could say is they're adapting their marketing toward the local market.

[Broseph]

LOL - the chick should have the Gary mug shot!
http://newhairstyles.mobi/img/NolteHair_74.jpgi believe that's Nick Nolte in your pic

[angekfire]

The guy in the first photoshopped pic looks like Simon Cowell.

[Emancipated]

If that's true, then KFC is racist as well. They only serve corn bread and corn on the cob in some select locations where it's predominantly Afro-American.

[Akraz]

Lol here is my version of it!
http://imgur.com/k6CfX.jpg

Took a whole 30 seconds in photoshop

[marcroboy]

LMAO. Keep it coming.

[mysticalinfluence]

Looks like KK is back and posting.

[mike24]

Others have suggested the ethnic mix of the Polish population may have played a part in the decision to change the photo.



The population of Poland is mainly composed of Caucasians. I am also aware that there is a tendency for racism towards minorities. This is one reason why the photo was edited to exclude the black person.

[angekfire]

If that's true, then KFC is racist as well. They only serve corn bread and corn on the cob in some select locations where it's predominantly Afro-American.

But they sell Fried Chicken everywhere, so your argument is invalid.

[madman604]

how can they be racist? they even put out race specific versions of their software like this:

http://www.funnyphotos.net.au/images/microsoft-word-gansta-edition1.jpg

[Usuyami]

how can they be racist? they even put out race specific versions of their software like this:

http://www.funnyphotos.net.au/images/microsoft-word-gansta-edition1.jpg

LOL this one almost makes me laugh for some reason.

[applecheeks]

The City of Toronto did that with its Fun Guide too :lol:
It's posted somewhere in OT

I think that one was way worse lol

[skeletor]

LOL this one almost makes me laugh for some reason.

almost ?!?! I think it's hysterical!!! LOL

[originalnutta]

The only real shame here is the terrible photoshopping.

Srsly, wtf hires these guys?

[BobSaget]

Notice the Macbook in the photo? And the unplugged monitor? Not just poor photoshopping, but horrible marketing in general!

[cheapmeister]

The pic is racist cause they forgot the brown person.

[originalnutta]

The pic is racist cause they forgot the brown person.

+1


Like we don't know anything about computers.

[Gebraroest]

Your@
kidding&
right?

[Matrixvibe]

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b330/schwarz_masa/thats_waisis.gif

lol

[BornRuff]

The only real shame here is the terrible photoshopping.

Srsly, wtf hires these guys?

Ya, I just can't believe that Microsoft can't afford to find someone half decent at using photoshop.

[originalnutta]

Ya, I just can't believe that Microsoft can't afford to find someone half decent at using photoshop.

honestly, a blind chimp can do better with MS paint.


Look at the guy's neck. It's like he's got gout, and the black hand is the least of his worries.

[Jucius Maximus]

http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/4439/75334588.jpg

This is from the same guy who compared KKF to The 40 Year Old Virgin.

[Lovable]

http://www.funnyphotos.net.au/images/microsoft-word-gansta-edition1.jpg

Now that's ****ing hilarious, I still cannot say the same for the pictures in the other Microsoft thread though. (Just to clear any potential misunderstandings I have nothing against black people by the way!) :lol: