Alex,
this is the better that FFII could have done with its tiny budget when it was confronting to a budget from Microsoft side of millions of Euros. 2,500 is surely less than what Microsoft has spent in any of its employees working in this matter in any the committees. And I don't count the amount of money that Microsoft has invested in to convince to all its gold partners to work in the committees. We have already probes enough that Microsoft has paid to its partners no matter if not directly in money (Sweden, Denmark, etc.) Indeed is quite suspecting that a big share of the national committees were filled out of new members that curiously had partnership relations with Microsoft (Colombia, Mexico, Switzerland, Portugal, Sweden, Brazil, Italy, US, most African ones, Australia, etc.)
Indeed, 2,500 is similar to what Microsoft and every of its partners has paid to enter in the committees of every country. In Italy, for example, you needed to pay 1,200 Eur to participate, and Microsoft got several tens of partners in the committee. Who paid this money finally?
Also, I don't see anything unfair of rewarding the "fighting off Microsoft's lobbying stands". If I understand right, this is a way to help ISO to maintain cleaned up its house from external commercial pressures that could affect (have affected and surely are still affecting) its normal and correct decision processes.
And, by the way, FFII hasn't paid anything yet. The Kayak award has not been granted yet. FFII is still considering nominations.
Alberto Barrionuevo.
