Horrible mistake by NS Portal admins/writers

Check out this page. Some idiot from the NS Portal actually used a picture of Steve Jobs in an article about Microsoft Powerpoint. This is totally absurb and unacceptable. So someone shot them an email. Here is the email replicated in its (almost) entirety.

“Dear in charge,

I refer to your article posted at http://……. in which Microsoft Powerpoint is being highlighted and discussed.

As representative of the No. 1 Mac-using tertiary institution in Singapore, I wish to point out that your picture of Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple Inc, in the article, is not just inaccurate, but totally unacceptable as well. Steve Jobs never, never uses Microsoft Powerpoint in his presentations. He uses an Apple software called Keynote, which is many ways is much much better than Microsoft Powerpoint. The use of his picture in the article both reflects the inability of the article writer who obviously does not have the required knowledge to tell the difference between Keynote and Powerpoint, and makes us doubt the credibility of his article as well.

Such a mistake is totally unacceptable even if it is made in an environment, which, one can argue, is free from any knowledge of Mac software since the armed forces uses exclusively Microsoft software, instead of promoting open-source alternatives. However, usage of Apple software and hardware is now growing at an increasing pace, and Keynote was even used during PM Lee’s National Day Rally. As such, it is therefore unacceptable to have commit such a mistake, especially when you represent the Armed Forces.

I hereby request you to replace the picture as soon as possible. I believe I speak for all the Mac users in Singapore, as the following post in the Mac User Group Singapore’s forum at http://www.macusersg.org/forums/index.php?topic=42458.0 has indicated general displease with the article.

It is exactly mistakes like these that makes our Armed Forces a laughing stock in front of Singaporeans. I hope that you can quickly correct your mistake, and try to prevent something as humiliating as this from happening again.

Yours Sincerely,

XXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXX”

*Edit* Apparently the guy who posted the above msg (read: ME!!) didn’t realise that OpenOffice was in use since last year. Seriously, who will know? I personally saw Microsoft Office ’97 throughout the whole of my NS days 3 years back. And I have never heard of any plans to switch to OpenOffice then. Not everyone’s in Army or NS all the time. Apologise for the mistake though.

*Edit Again* The NSPortal Editor posted this reply;

“Hi all,

The article is a contribution that talks about the value of the command of a good presentation skill and the term ‘PowerPoint’ was used by the writer as a generic reference term due rather than as a product per se and Steve Job was an admirable international figure well known for making fantastic presentation and being featured to make a point and we regret any unintended misunderstanding.

NS Portal appreciates your readership and would like thank you guys for their feedback and support. We have advised the writer to make the necessary amendment to avoid future misunderstandings.

Warm Regards,
NS Portal Editor”

Edit again, and again: Apparently someone told me using Steve Jobs’ picture in the article itself is illegal. I think it might be true, especially for a high profile site like NSportal. Then again, will I know? I’m no lawyer.

Official Disclaimer: All my comments and posts posted in this site is made in my capacity as a Mac fan (or some say fanboy), and not in my capacity as President of the Mac User Group of NUS.


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