Here's an extra FYI for anyone following this thread. I heard somewhere that
Bill Gates and his wife were involved in a charity that gives computers to
kids in schools. You'd think that Bill would jump at the chance of getting
some good PR for a change, and help these schools. He can certainly afford
it! Good tax write-off too. Oh, well, maybe the whole thing was a PR sham on
his part ! HHmmmmm!
Dan LaBine
On July 18, 2001 06:45 am, you wrote:
> At 02:32 AM 7/16/01 +1000, you wrote:
> >This is about a *charity* that is giving computers to *poor* people.
> > Chances are that these people have hardly ever touched a computer, leave
> > alone owning one (no insensitivity intended). Do you think they can
> > afford a copy of
>
> Gotta add to this as this is a subject dear to my heart.
>
> I recall reading/hearing somewhere that these _donated_ computers come from
> the donors (typically large companies) with Windblows already
> installed. Now I'm not sure of the fine print but haven't the donor
> companies _already_ paid for the licence ?
>
> Thus MS is effectively asking for payment twice for the same piece of
> software. Most business I know realise that once you have paid for an item
> _once_ you own it (case in point : when you buy pavers for your house and
> then you sell your house, Boral doesn't expect the new owner to pay for the
> pavers a second time).
>
> Couldn't the donor companies just sign a bit of paper saying "donated - one
> old computer complete with windows .... installed" ?
>
> Or is M$ a special case ??
>
> Once again M$ have led the field in the ever increasing race to screw
> everyone. Starting with the people who can _least_ afford it.
>
> It's a bloody charity.... M$ need to give a little and just say
> "naughty. We won't take it any further, if you just stop doing
> it". Alternatively they could get a heart and allow the charity to install
> win95 on machines that _dont_ come pre-loaded (remember these are old
> machines so they probably won't run 2000/XP) subject to a 'cap' of {say}
> 200 a year.
>
> Alternatively, the charity could be innundated with offers of support from
> the linux community asking if they have considered linux / open
> office. And pointing out that the support offered by mailing lists is very
> good...
>
> Possibly even the local linux users could come and offer to "hand hold"
> through the first couple of installs.
>
> Now where was this charity located again ??
