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Microsoft's Software Philanthropy: The Goodwill Ploy
bethanie writes "The New York Times has printed a story concerning Microsoft's plans to 'significantly increase its donation of software to the nation's nonprofit organizations, to a level that may approach $1 billion annually in the next three to four years. ...But the increase has also drawn objections from developers of 'open source' programs (programs for which the source code is freely distributed). Those critics say they believe Microsoft is using a giveaway strategy to undercut the so-called free software movement in the potentially promising nonprofit market.' What do you think? Is it true philanthropy or just another tactic to assimilate everyone into the MS collective?"
Unbelievable. Yes it is a ploy to gather interest in the non-profit camp and to keep OSS and GNU/Linux out. It is only that though, for you still have to have maintenance and for that - you will pay eventually. Especially when it comes time to get support.
;P
If it wasn't MS, anybody would call it transparent. The fact that it is MS, someone will say they are doing it from their *good intentions*.
All Ad hominem replies happily ignored as the sender shall be deemed to lack the faculties to comprehend the equation.
Free!?! Actually, they'd have to pay me to use Windows!
Hey... perhaps I should reply to that "Bill Gates Gives Away Money" spam that comes into my inbox every 2 or 3 months...
I mean seriously you guys who are going "oh no this is a ploy to keep linux out of more places" the company doesn't have to choose to use microsoft products. The only way you should worry is your doubt that windows and other MS software products are superior to the other ones. MS are a large organisation this one billion dollar increase in charity isn't going to hurt there profits much and you will find most big organisations do this kind of thing it's called giving back to the comunity.
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All I have left to say is that if the other OS's are better for the organisations then I will use them all this microsoft is trying to destroy linux again is your paranoia that MS products might be better for them. (notice them as MS is easy to use alot of non-profit organisation's use volunteers not all of them have the time to learn how to do everything they want the big button that does things aproach)
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I wish I had a gun sometimes so I could put people out of my misery.
Becuase we can't spelling.
That is entirly not true.
I would bet a good portion of Linux users started with Microsoft.
I know I did, I never paid for it personaly but usually it was legit.
I know use Linux only at home and the transition was only mildly annoying.
Word and excel 97 to Abiword and GNUmeric was totaly painless and on the desktop. And all server environments are pains in the ass in their own little ways unless you really know what your doing.
Your statement was the dumbest thing I have ever read on slashdot (browsing at one anyway).
Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
The vast majority of goodwill that the Gates Foundation participates in is unrelated to technology (eg: AIDS research and vaccines for 3rd world countries). I find it appauling that your religion critizes such things.
There is no longer anything that can be done with computers that is nontrivial and clearly legal. -- Paul Phillips
So? That's your own doing. You've given them Microsoft software and now that's all they know so you lose the right to bitch about your lack of alternatives.
Look at it this way. 30 years ago the average office worker had no trouble using a typewriter. 20 years ago the average office worker had no trouble using Wordstar. 15 years ago the average office worker had no trouble using WordPerfect. 10 years ago the average office worker had no trouble using Windows 3.1 and Windows Write.
Yet now it seems they need Outlook XP and Windows XP and Office XP on an Athlon 2000XP with 1GB RAM and 21" monitors. Even worse, here is their "Director of IT" proclaiming that they are so woefully underpowered because they only have Novell Netware and Windows 98 running on Ethernet networks. For god's sake, the average office couldn't afford Ethernet only 2 decades ago. Now you're complaining because it's not switched?
Your equipment is fine; it's your attitude that needs adjusting. You've managed to convince even yourself that you need the "latest and greatest" hardware. That's bullshit. Load up those computers with text-based utilities. The office workers of 20 years ago managed; what makes you think the current crop are that much dumber!?
I'll conclude my rant with an example. My first job was in an office environment using WYSE terminals. None of the office staff had significant computer experience. Yet they had no trouble logging onto their terminal, starting up *VI*, and writing letters in *ROFF*, before printing them to a shared printer. They sent email using the command-line *MAIL* tool. This was only 15 years ago. These people didn't whinge or whine about the lack of colour GUIs; they JUST GOT THEIR WORK DONE.