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U.S. Army Warns Microsoft To Back Off
declan writes "My CNET News colleague Ina Fried has written an interesting article today about how the U.S. Army has told Microsoft to stop sending free CD-ROMs of Office 2003 to government employees. In what's effectively a cease and desist order, the Army said: 'Your offer of free software places our employees and soldiers in jeopardy of unknowingly committing a violation of the ethics rules and regulations to which they have taken an oath to uphold.' Whoops! Perhaps this is Microsoft's latest way to fight free software at the Pentagon. Remember that just 8 months ago, the Army paid $471 million for Microsoft licenses."
but can they stop AOL cds as well? stemming that tide is well-nigh impossible.
turn up the jukebox and tell me a lie
Now we just need the Army to go after spammers, SCO, and the like.... and back it up with tanks! lots of tanks!
we are gonna fire ..
Office XP, Visual Studio
you sell? I would like a copy of all of them. You
know my address.
Thank you,
Anonymous Coward
...they had absolutely no interest in AOL's high-speed technology and were threatening unilateral action.
Pah, they are giving away all the copies they saved by giving the beta testers a naff radio!
Army: Stop sending us your products. .
Microsoft: What if we don't?
Army: We'll make you
Microsoft: You and what army?
Army: . .
Microsoft: Oh.
I want the fire back.
So if I pirate it, I go to jail... fair enough... if you send it to me for free, and I don't buy exchange server from you... I will be forced to pirate exchange to get any of it to work, so I go to jail... hmm... If you send it to me, and I say I don't use it... then what?
Microsoft, you had a great marketing strategy, except you decided to assume that people want to use office at all costs... tsk, tsk...
---
Programming is like sex... Make one mistake and support it the rest of your life.
I bet the Army pays about $3 for small arms fire targets. These are perfectly free and visibly shatter when shot. Rather than complain, the Army should request that they send more to make our fighting troops better shots!
Bill: apperantly we violated some rules regarding 'ethics'. You ever here of it?
Ballmer: I think there was something in a college course, but I'm not sure.
Bill: hmm, See if you can buy this ethics things, so we can get back to telling the government what to do.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
Umm - you forgot to include your work e-mail and program code in your post.
Sweet, we can send you Linux disks!
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
Quoting from the article:
"Government Entities: Microsoft intends that this product be used in accordance with applicable laws and regulations for the evaluation, use and benefit of your government agency only," Microsoft states in the note. "You may, at your discretion, return this product package to Microsoft at its expense."
Okay, sending back at Microsoft's expense is easy. Just send it via UPS SonicAir same-day service. Doing a quick quote, from Texas (for example) back to Redmond would cost at least $264.94. Also, be sure to send it in the evening so that nighttime charges apply, and from obscure locations so the extended mileage also figures into the cost. If you do it right, you could get it up into the thousands depending on location (overseas stations?) and time of day. If there aren't any commercial flights, you can have UPS charter a plane just for your CD. Oh, and send each CD back separately for maximum effect.
When you absolutely, positively, have to stick it to Microsoft.
Want to improve your Karma? Instead of "Post Anonymously", try the "Post Humously" option.
The Bush administration has authorized a premptive strike on Redmond, WA!
Unfortunately, due to the current conflicts our choice of couriers is limited, so we will have to return the CDs by loading them in pamphet-dispersion canisters and dropping them on your Redmond, WA offices.
Love,
The Army
Haven't you seen the commercials - it's got a giant table on the top of a mountain!
A fine is a tax you pay for doing wrong and a tax is a fine you pay for doing all right.
It would be better if they took those CDs and built a wall around AOL HQ. Hopefully, it would stop the crap from getting out and infecting the rest of the world.
Why the heck do they need to burn CD's in the cockpit? Shouldn't they be focusing on flying the damn plane?!
All your Army Base are belong to us.
wbs.
Huh?
It looks like you're writing a slashdot post! Office assistance can help you write your post.
What kind of karma would you like?
1) Insightful
2) Overrated
3) Troll
Ehh you get the idea.
I am government man, come from the government. The government has sent me. -- G.I.R.
The Army is sick and tired of the relentless battle against Clippy!
Learn something new.
What more "essential" things can be added to a word processor?
Weapon Control
The president will be able use Outlook to send a Word Document with a macro to all missile silo's and subs. Upon receipt Outlook will open Word and execute the macro and launch the missiles. This system will be so much cheaper than and less personel intensive than the current system.
V14GR4 wi11 14UNCH y0ur b1g P3N15.
134340: I am not a number. I am a free planet!
" Shouldn't they be focusing on flying the damn plane?!"
Maybe they heard about Excel's easter egg.
"Derp de derp."
Why not just install office on a Windows system (outlook and IE should do the rest).
Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
Soldier: Sir you're coming too close to our computers
Bill Gates: Come on just try it a little
Soldier: I'm going to have to ask you to step away from the computers!
Bill Gates: Come on here's a CD lemme just install it, it'll only take a minute
Soldier: This is your last warning, if you do not leave this area you will be terminated immediately!
Bill Gates: Here lemme just *reaches for a mouse*
Soldier: FIRE!
*right about here is some gruesome video of bill gates being ripped to shreds from M4 rounds*
Wow it'd be like a real life xBill
I still am an IT minkey, and I routinely install O2K without Outlook... And it really isn't there!
Every word processor needs a built-in psychiatrist. (No, Clippy doesn't count.)
And the l33t shall inherit the 34r7h.
Planes fly themselves. Why waste a good opportunity to point a surveilance antenna at some sattelites or wireless hotspots for some in flight porn.
----
Go canucks, habs, and sens!
Funny. I have a really hard time explaining Outlook or Outlook Express to clients (especially over the phone). When I sense they're about to give up on the problem, I suggest Thunderbird.
Actually happened again, 20 minutes ago (over the phone). But this time, just for the heck of it, I also recommended Eudora -- choice is good.
When they try Thunderbird out for a day or so, they never go back. If their Outlook problem mysteriously fixes itself, within a day, they go back.
Yeah, wasn't the original Trojan horse considered a gift too?
Yez, a chimpanzee minky...
(for all you Pink Panther fans)
How about sending applications for free SCO Licenses to the Army??
Calling atheism and agnosticism a religion is like calling bald a hair color.
I bet you they are using the CD's as shotgun targets.
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Go canucks, habs, and sens!
Man, I hope Jeff Goldblum never joins a terrorist organisation. /kidding. OTOH, maybe anti-terrorism laws will be a good way to round up all those script kiddies. /only half-kidding.
Forget thrust, drag, lift and weight. Airplanes fly because of money.
Finally, if the gift is entertainment, a favor, a service, or any other intangible benefit, the employee must reimburse the market value to the donor.
Finally the RIAA has another way to make a profit on their poor business model without suing endusers. They just need to send performers as gifts to DoD employees. The employees would be required to pay out of their own pocket.
Isn't it something like a few hours of utter boredom with a couple mintes of sheer panic at the beginning and end?
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.
Except, this involves the US Army. So in this case, Clippy pops up and asks,
Incidently, the Air Force has plenty of tech-saavy people, often in the form of reservists.
It's true, they do. Here's one.
Even Clippy can't help on that count.
He only deals in tears and frustration.
the guys with big toys that have the word "tactical" in the name...
Smooth move M$..
Doesn't emacs already do that?
I have a girlfriend whose name doesn't end in
"They sent beautifully engraved and inlaid Colt revolvers to many generals and public officials."
Wow...I wouldn't mind being shot with one of those!
"Little things hitting each other. THAT'S WHAT I LIKE!" - Time Bandits
Microsoft warns the Army to back off:
Surrender all your computers to us. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.
Or else... our spyware will autodetect DoD users and subsequently refuse to start. All your computers are belong to us.
Bill Gates of Borg.
cpghost at Cordula's Web.
After all, he made it to the Whitehouse, he's filthy rich, and he wields great influence over many powerful people... all of which you're NOT!!!