How Microsoft Inadvertently Helps To Fund FOSS

christian.einfeldt writes "The State of California sued Microsoft for anti-trust violations, and now the proceeds of the settlement of that case are being used to fund the acquisition of computers for any school district in California. The terms of the settlement allow every school district in California to be reimbursed a set dollar amount for the purchase of computers with the software of their choice. Microsoft probably anticipated that school districts would mainly use the settlement to buy more Microsoft products, with a few Apple purchases sprinkled in here and there. But now that Free Open Source Software is being commercialized by hardware vendors such as Dell, System76, EmperorLinux, Zareason.com, and TechCollective.com, acquiring computers powered by FOSS is straightforward. I'm a volunteer sysadmin at a northern California public charter school and in my Slashdot journal I detail the step-by-step process for using Microsoft's money to pay for the Linux purchases of your school's choice." And then there's the Ubuntu team in Belgium that is raising funds by auctioning off a copy of Windows Vista Ultimate that a Microsoft rep gave them at a trade show. So far the bidding is up to 101.76 Euros, about $144.

Comments

Ubuntu team in danger of liability action ...

[Alain Williams]

If they knowing sell on something with known defects (that copy of MS Vista) and it screws up someone's machine -- would they not be liable for any loss that they endured ?

Re:Ubuntu team in danger of liability action ...

[Entropius]

I imagine they'll send the guy a complimentary (or should that be "complementary"? ;)) (K)Ubuntu disk in the mail, with the instruction "You'd probably be better off using this instead, but here's the Vista disk you bought."

Re:Ubuntu team in danger of liability action ...

[jkrise]

If they(Canonical) knowing sell on something with known defects (that copy of MS Vista)...

I imagine the support call to go something like this:

Vista User: Hi! I got a problem with Vista.
MS rep: Only one?
VU: Yep.. I can't activate
MS: Where did you get it? Or is it pirated?
VU: I bought it from Ubuntu
MS: Those guys haven't paid us protection money... like the good folks at Novell, Xandros..
VU: But it is still Microsoft Vista on the package... It's got this shticker as well... can I have a license key?
MS: Okay here you go... 54524524087698032413243064087513243404353040453204753047340873453207.
VU: I didn't ask for Ballmer's bank balance; just a license key!
MS: That's what I gave you...
VU: Okay... I typed it all in.. still won't go forward...
MS: Okay do this. Put that number in Excel 2007 and divide it by 345.43521; enter the first 128 digits, and then.. .hello? you still there????
VU: ..................
MS: Status: Waiting for customer. Next call please!

I wonder

[Billosaur]

Do you think there are people at Microsoft who go home and secretly work Linux by night?

Re:I wonder

[Stanistani]

You make that sound so... dirty.

Tell me more.

But they own linux

[neokushan]

But Microsoft owns all of the copyrights for Linux anyway, according to Ballmer, remember?

Re:Still not funding

[Anonymous Coward]

and most are probably going to more Windows PCs.

Well, at least the smart ones will buy Windows PCs for their students, since that will best prepare them for their future.

Re:Still not funding

[russ1337]

Well, at least the smart ones will buy Windows PCs for their students, since that will best prepare them for their future in the monopolistic non-thinking 'customer-is-a-criminal' world they'll going to grow up in, where large corporations dictate all terms, including the fines they receive, and tell you what is good for you whether you like it or not.

There, I fixed that for you.