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Backchannel backlash is swift and merciless. When Plum.com's Hans Peter played a loud REM track behind his ETech 2006 presentation, the IRC peanut gallery roasted him as he spoke.

dotBen: he's missed the idea of creating a position emotion when you're trying to sell a product. We're all feeling miffed listening to REM

seanbonner: Do we have any RIAA people here? Can someone sue him for this?

TomCoates: doot doot doot doot

TomCoates: doot doot doot doot

h8ianxpress: is that Freedom rock? well, turn it up!

TantekC: i'm not shiny nor happy right now.

***TomCoates waves his cigarette lighter

danhon: would it distract him if we started singing along?

mathowie: REM is trying to play him off, Oscars style

bigtank: making people happy is easy. making them shiny AND happy is a pain in the ass