This sends out totally the wrong message
"Microsoft and AMD sent out a pile of very expensive (yet trashy looking) laptops to a number of bloggers over the past week. We were told we could keep them - now after a day of minor outrage by some people they are emailing us back with the following request that we not keep them after all!"
Source: Marshall Kirkpatrick
Why does it send out the wrong message? Simple; those of us who are trying to evangelise PR 2.0 and web 2.0 practices can point to industry leaders, like Microsoft, and say "this is what we are trying to do". However, if companies like Microsoft waiver from that line then it weakens us all.
Microsoft did absolutely the right thing by handing out those laptops. Where they went wrong was to cave in the face of the whiners, they should have just sucked down the negative publicity or better still, added to the conversation by telling everyone why it was the right thing to do. That's why I say Microsoft, if you are going to lead then lead damn it!