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Microsoft Authorized Refurbishers

Posted by michael on from the with-friends-like-these dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Microsoft has announced a program to 'establish a vibrant community of computer refurbishers across 133 countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa who will be authorized to re-install its Windows operating system in donated pre-used PCs destined for schools, charities, non-profit organizations and under-served communities...Microsoft will provide re-installation of Windows 98 Second Edition and Windows 2000 Professional in over 18 languages. The refurbished PCs will be accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) and a special End User Licence as evidence of a legally installed operating system.' XBruticusX submits a story on news.com about the program.

7 of 367 comments (clear)

  1. In related news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
    In related news,
    Slackware and Debian announced free operating systems for these refurbished computers...

    ...10 years ago.

  2. Windows 98? by phearlez · · Score: 5, Insightful

    How odd that they would officially support the installation of an OS that's been EOLed (WinME is the oldest 16 bit still supported, yes?)

    --
    Bad management trumps ideology - Show the world you want better leadership. http://www.timefornewmanagement.com
    1. Re:Windows 98? by anon*127.0.0.1 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      True, but would you want to load WinXP on a P166 with 32 meg of RAM?

      There are old, refurbished computers in countries where there's not that much modern hardware to begin with. Wouldn't suprise me if some of those suckers were 486's. At least give Microsoft credit for realizing what sort of hardware they're dealing with.

      --
      I am NOT a man!
      I am a free number!
  3. Ready pitchforks! by NanoGator · · Score: 5, Funny

    Boy I can't wait to see how everybody takes this as a creative writing exercise to tell us about how this is proof Microsoft is evil.

    --
    "Derp de derp."
  4. Microsoft does this type of thing all the time. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    While it is nice that people will be getting functioning (well, to Windows standards at least) computers, it nauseates me to realize that when the people using the computers enter the global economic system they will be 'hooked' on Micro$oft. Ugh. This is just like M$ 'donating' software to schools. It is not altruistic in the least, they just want to develop future customers.

  5. linux and copyright by Datasage · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Considering that in several countries you can vist a shop to purchase a cd with windows longhorn even for less than $5. How many of these countries will actually care that you get a legal copy of windows with the referbished computer?

    I guess its Microsoft's futile attempt to stop linux from taking over the world.

    --
    In America we are imprisoned by our fear of them.
  6. Already have a windows license? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Yeah, you're right. Donated PC's *SHOULD* come with the license to the (Microsoft, at least) OS that was installed on it. That's according to their EULA, at least.
    here's where reality kicks in

    Have you ever *SEEN* most "donated" PCs? You'll be lucky if they're even functioning, let alone coming with things like the Windows license, documentation, peripherals, etc. Take what you can get, if MS wants to make it easy for people to put legit versions of Windows on their computers... more power to them. It certainly isn't my favorite OS, but if people are going to install it (illegally) anyway, at least now they'll be able to do it legally.

    Some people are going to talk about how Free Software has been doing this for years; and they're right, it has. However if you're in a situation where you're fortunate to even have donated low-end computers, you're going to go with what your users know. And before you start in with the "thriving community of *nix users" etc...how many of those in the thriving community are willing to travel to some third world country to teach people how to use linux? I don't see the volunteers...