Technology writer exposed as fraud
By Sandhya

The IDG media house consists of such credible names like Computerworld, IT World, Java World, Mac User, PC World, GamePro and InfoWorld.  Its magazines and websites command huge global audiences.  An IDG publication InfoWorld has been embarrassed after one of its columnists was caught using a different name to present himself as the CTO for a tech firm.

InfoWorld is based in Silicon Valley and describes itself as the ‘Web destination of choice for IT decision makers seeking to modernize their operations using the latest technologies, architectures, and strategies. A core group of thought leaders, many of whom work in IT, produce InfoWorld's special mix of analysis, opinion, and product reviews to help IT professionals optimize resources, build agile infrastructures, and improve their work lives.’.

InfoWorld has just publicly admitted that one of its star contributors Randall C. Kennedy was also masquerading as Craig Barth, CTO of Devil Mountain Software and giving interviews to other tech media in the same media group.  On one hand, Randal Kennedy was writing for IDG and in the same breath he was masquerading as Craig Barth to give quotes and opinions to its sister publications in the IDG group.  Devil Mountain Software had listed a number of blue chip companies as clients when in fact there was no such relationship. And because ‘Craig Barth’ was being quoted by the highly respected IDG Group, his views were picked up by international tech media like Slashdot and Arstechnica.

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An unfortunate ending

Due to a serious breach of trust, Randall C. Kennedy will no longer be writing for InfoWorld

On Friday, Feb. 19, we discovered that one of our contributors, Randall C. Kennedy, had been misrepresenting himself to other media organizations as Craig Barth, CTO of Devil Mountain Software (aka exo.performance.network), in interviews for a number of stories regarding Windows and other Microsoft software topics. Devil Mountain Software is a business Kennedy established that specializes in the analysis of Windows performance data. There is no Craig Barth, and Kennedy has stated that this fabrication was a misguided effort to separate himself (or more accurately, his InfoWorld blogger persona) from his Devil Mountain Software business.

Integrity and honesty are core to InfoWorld's mission of service to IT professionals, and we view Kennedy's actions as a serious breach of trust. As a result, he will no longer be a contributor to InfoWorld, and we have removed his blog from this site.

Over the past 10 years, Kennedy has contributed valuable information on Windows performance and other technical issues to InfoWorld and its readers -- insight and analysis we still believe to be accurate and reliable. Based on our discovery, however, we cannot continue our relationship with Kennedy. Questions about this matter may be directed to Kennedy at rck@xpnet.com. We apologize to our readers.

-- InfoWorld apology
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InfoWorld scrambled out an apology once its media rival Zdnet started doing an indepth investigation on the fraud that is Devil Mountain Software.

Some senior Microsoft executives would be particularly pleased today as Craig Barth of Devil Mountain Software was one its most vocal critics.