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."

Comments

thats all well and good...

[rootofevil]

but can they stop AOL cds as well? stemming that tide is well-nigh impossible.

This is the solution we need!

[glen604]

Now we just need the Army to go after spammers, SCO, and the like.... and back it up with tanks! lots of tanks!

Dear Microsoft (and Bill Gates),

[Anonymous Coward]

Could you please send me a copy of Windows XP,
Office XP, Visual Studio .Net, and any other programs
you sell? I would like a copy of all of them. You
know my address.

Thank you,

Anonymous Coward

Army official also noted...

[Anonymous Coward]

...they had absolutely no interest in AOL's high-speed technology and were threatening unilateral action.

Can I be the first one to state the obvious?

[Daikiki]

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.

Re:Can I be the first one to state the obvious?

[cybermace5]

I half expected the headline to continue, as in:
U.S. Army Warns Microsoft To Back Off; Microsoft Masses Troops on Border, Threatens Missile Strikes

Send back at *huge* MS expense

[nacturation]

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.

Dear Bill

[bgeer]

Thanks so much for all the Office 2003 CDs, it was very thoughtful of you to send them by. However, have determined that they represent a threat to national security, so you will have to take them back at once. If you can't collect them all by tomorrow, we will return them to you ourselves.

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

Re:Yep, it's happening in the Navy, too....

[neirboj]

Why the heck do they need to burn CD's in the cockpit? Shouldn't they be focusing on flying the damn plane?!

Re:Ummm.. yeah.

[M. Baranczak]

Incidently, the Air Force has plenty of tech-saavy people, often in the form of reservists.

It's true, they do. Here's one.