Re: [newbie] Aussie charity still doesn't get it
On Wed, 1 Aug 2001 01:05, Charlie Oriez wrote: On Tuesday 31 July 2001 07:56, Sridhar Dhanapalan wrote: Charlie, Just a couple of simple requests to preserve sanity on the list: 1. Don't post e-mail attachments. They can bog-down the mail server and make mail downloads unnecessarily lengthy for users. My bad. I apologize for that. it was early in the morning here and I wasn't thinking yet. I should have known better, since that's a standard rule. 2. The last time I checked, Microsoft had not released a version of MS Word for GNU/Linux. Can you please post in plain text, or link to a site? I read it with Star Office which came with 8.0. I used StarOffice to read it as well. However, not everyone has this app (it doesn't come with the ISO version of Mandrake) and many people don't want it (it's a massive download and is bloated). At all times, open formats should be used for document delivery. Plain text or a simple web link are best, since they are the most compact. Checking their home page, they don't have it posted. I put a text copy inline at the bottom of this with the fancy letterhead stripped. With that said and done, here's my commentary. These charity people are just plain imbeciles. Though I greatly respect their work, I can't figure out why they still bitch and moan even after things like this (http://www.linuxworld.com.au/news.php3?nid=861tid=4) occur. I read it. Perhaps I should send a note to them with the link expressing happiness that the problem has been resolved. :-) I don't think they are imbeciles. I suspect something else that I run across every now and then. I'm starting to sense that this guy is a professional victim. That is, being a victim is more important than solving the problem, and he will avoid easy solutions because then the problems, and the attention that comes with being a victim, will go away. I found myself thinking the same thing after reading this. It is really sad to see this happen to a charity. Their behaviour doesn't help anyone. In the US at least, directors of charitable organizations are required to act in the best interests of the organization and their intended beneficiaries. If he shuts down to preserve his victim status rather than switch to linux, I have to wonder if he might be running afoul of similar australian requirements. I think you may be right here, especially after Everythinglinux made such a public announcement offering their help. PCs for Kids is the smallest Australian charity that specialises in giving away computers, yet they are the only one that does not use GNU/Linux on their machines. begin press release Tuesday, 31 July 2001 MICROSOFT BACKSTABS CHARITY PC's FOR KIDS The Pc's for Kids project of assisting less fortunate children with donated computers is facing their toughest battle to date and the outlook looks bleak following a decision by Microsoft Australia today. The US software giant will not grant any copyright exemptions that would allow Pc's for Kids to continue providing refurbished computers to needy kids. We simply do not have the funds to purchase the old software needed for the refurbished machines, Pc's for Kids President and founder Mr. Colin Bayes said. In a letter sent to Mr. Bayes today, Microsoft has said it will provide assistance to the Geelong YMCA and will provide 150 packs of Windows-95 to be sent to East Timor via the Rotary International scheme (DIK) If Pc's for kid's folds, who are going to build these systems, I am sure no Rotarian will accommodate Microsoft. The other issue is more like, Microsoft Snubs Aussie Kids Bayes states. However, this kind offer does not address the copyright issue which leaves us with countless of children on our waiting list and the many who will need systems in the future. Our project is a grass roots community driven project. We have achieved miracles with little support. We at Pc's for Kids have one question for the well-known philanthropist Mr. William Gates. Why should less fortunate kids be made to pay again for software already donated by our community? As the founder of Pc's for Kids I am deeply ashamed at this halfhearted offer by Microsoft and urge all our supporters to call Microsoft and voice your concern at their lack of compassion. Press Release Issued By: Tuesday, 31 July 2001 Colin Bayes President / Founder (0402) 149719 24 Hours Contact Pc's for Kids Inc Ph: (03) 52444146 Fax: (03) 52436026 [EMAIL PROTECTED] end -- Sridhar Dhanapalan. There are two major products that come from Berkeley: LSD and UNIX. We don't believe this to be a coincidence. -- Jeremy S. Anderson
Re: [newbie] Aussie charity still doesn't get it
Charlie, Just a couple of simple requests to preserve sanity on the list: 1. Don't post e-mail attachments. They can bog-down the mail server and make mail downloads unnecessarily lengthy for users. 2. The last time I checked, Microsoft had not released a version of MS Word for GNU/Linux. Can you please post in plain text, or link to a site? With that said and done, here's my commentary. These charity people are just plain imbeciles. Though I greatly respect their work, I can't figure out why they still bitch and moan even after things like this (http://www.linuxworld.com.au/news.php3?nid=861tid=4) occur. Thanks for the info, but please try in the future to be a bit more careful with your choice of distribution media :-) On Tue, 31 Jul 2001 22:19, Charlie Oriez wrote: yet another press release from the Aussie charity moaning about the evil Microsoft putting them out of business because they can't use M$ on their machines. No mention in the press release that he can but won't use linux. A radio interviewer asked, and he dodged. -- Forwarded Message -- Subject: Re: query about Microsoft Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2001 22:00:09 +1000 From: Pc's for Kids Inc [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Charlie Oriez [EMAIL PROTECTED] press attached -- Microsoft is a cross between the Borg and the Ferengi. Unfortunately, they use Borg to do their marketing and Ferengi to do their programming. -- Simon Slavin in asr -- Sridhar Dhanapalan. There are two major products that come from Berkeley: LSD and UNIX. We don't believe this to be a coincidence. -- Jeremy S. Anderson
Re: [newbie] Aussie charity still doesn't get it
On Tuesday 31 July 2001 07:56, Sridhar Dhanapalan wrote: Charlie, Just a couple of simple requests to preserve sanity on the list: 1. Don't post e-mail attachments. They can bog-down the mail server and make mail downloads unnecessarily lengthy for users. My bad. I apologize for that. it was early in the morning here and I wasn't thinking yet. I should have known better, since that's a standard rule. 2. The last time I checked, Microsoft had not released a version of MS Word for GNU/Linux. Can you please post in plain text, or link to a site? I read it with Star Office which came with 8.0. Checking their home page, they don't have it posted. I put a text copy inline at the bottom of this with the fancy letterhead stripped. With that said and done, here's my commentary. These charity people are just plain imbeciles. Though I greatly respect their work, I can't figure out why they still bitch and moan even after things like this (http://www.linuxworld.com.au/news.php3?nid=861tid=4) occur. I read it. Perhaps I should send a note to them with the link expressing happiness that the problem has been resolved. :-) I don't think they are imbeciles. I suspect something else that I run across every now and then. I'm starting to sense that this guy is a professional victim. That is, being a victim is more important than solving the problem, and he will avoid easy solutions because then the problems, and the attention that comes with being a victim, will go away. In the US at least, directors of charitable organizations are required to act in the best interests of the organization and their intended beneficiaries. If he shuts down to preserve his victim status rather than switch to linux, I have to wonder if he might be running afoul of similar australian requirements. begin press release Tuesday, 31 July 2001 MICROSOFT BACKSTABS CHARITY PC's FOR KIDS The Pc's for Kids project of assisting less fortunate children with donated computers is facing their toughest battle to date and the outlook looks bleak following a decision by Microsoft Australia today. The US software giant will not grant any copyright exemptions that would allow Pc's for Kids to continue providing refurbished computers to needy kids. We simply do not have the funds to purchase the old software needed for the refurbished machines, Pc's for Kids President and founder Mr. Colin Bayes said. In a letter sent to Mr. Bayes today, Microsoft has said it will provide assistance to the Geelong YMCA and will provide 150 packs of Windows-95 to be sent to East Timor via the Rotary International scheme (DIK) If Pc's for kid's folds, who are going to build these systems, I am sure no Rotarian will accommodate Microsoft. The other issue is more like, Microsoft Snubs Aussie Kids Bayes states. However, this kind offer does not address the copyright issue which leaves us with countless of children on our waiting list and the many who will need systems in the future. Our project is a grass roots community driven project. We have achieved miracles with little support. We at Pc's for Kids have one question for the well-known philanthropist Mr. William Gates. Why should less fortunate kids be made to pay again for software already donated by our community? As the founder of Pc's for Kids I am deeply ashamed at this halfhearted offer by Microsoft and urge all our supporters to call Microsoft and voice your concern at their lack of compassion. Press Release Issued By: Tuesday, 31 July 2001 Colin Bayes President / Founder (0402) 149719 24 Hours Contact Pc's for Kids Inc Ph: (03) 52444146 Fax: (03) 52436026 [EMAIL PROTECTED] end -- Microsoft is a cross between the Borg and the Ferengi. Unfortunately, they use Borg to do their marketing and Ferengi to do their programming. -- Simon Slavin in asr
