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Microsoft Pushes Windows To Battle Linux In Africa

Posted by timothy on from the roll-the-windows-down-if-it-gets-hot dept.

ThousandStars writes "According to the Wall Street Journal, Microsoft has been making a concerted effort to promote Windows in Africa, pushing Windows over Linux in very poor countries that haven't been locked into a single operating system. From the article: 'To that end, it has established a presence in 13 countries, donated Windows for thousands of school computers, and funded programs for entrepreneurs and the young. It also has used aggressive business tactics, some aimed at its biggest threat in the region: Linux ...'"

6 of 248 comments (clear)

  1. Re:What a minute . . . by Eg0Death · · Score: 1, Troll

    Nice try oahazmatt, but you rolled a 1 on your bluff attempt!

    --
    Why is this thus? What is the reason for this thusness?
  2. For all the slamming of M$ by Twyst3d · · Score: -1, Troll

    I have yet to see Linux platform DELIVER ANYTHING the entire world wants to use, in an easy to manage, easy to interact with format. I tried installing redhat a few times back in the 90s and after banging my head a few times to actually get it working I thought to myself "Oh. Sweet. Free Civ and data management I DONT NEED."

    And then Linux users go out of their way to do things like make World of Warcraft work on their PC. Look buddy. Ya great you got it working but you are very knowledgeable in Linux, which has a steep learning curve. And most users dont want to spend 2 weeks getting their drivers to work just right to play a game.

    I guess what Im really saying is, most Linux/open source advocates do it for the rebellion not because they have a better product to promote. After all if your open source was a decent product, youd be able to SELL IT. And we've all seen how much of that is goin on right now.

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    And this has been another installament of Captain Obvious! /whoosh
    1. Re:For all the slamming of M$ by Twyst3d · · Score: 0, Troll

      Its funny because you all:

      A) modded me a troll for simply telling the truth and my own point of view. Very classy.

      B) You all seem to be ignoring the main point that none of your "distro's" have anythign for the public.

      Where are the games? The easy to understand GUI? Easy to configure and understand without a Comp Sci degree? The only way you can prove my point wrong is to give Windows and Linux to an average user and have them give you honest criticism on their experience using both. And guess what. Sales have shown that the experience with windows is just better.

      And guess what, you aren't being unique or sparing your individuality by complaining just the same as every other guy who uses Linux and thinks hes sticking it to the man because he didn't pay one red cent for it. And on the subject of cost. You cant afford 200$ for your OS? You will blow 6000 for a state of the art rig you put together and then complain about paying for the OS? I am the only one who can see the childishness of this?

      Well enjoy your Ubuntu and all that data management boys. Im gonna go play Fallout 3 without having to reconfigure WINE every Thursday, just as soon as Im done at my cushy job managing a windows network full of PCs that may have their individual problems but are terribly easy to manage and keep an eye on.

      --
      And this has been another installament of Captain Obvious! /whoosh
  3. Re:Full Article here by Eg0Death · · Score: 0, Troll

    Thank you for the link! I have now RTFA and my suspicions fell short. Microsoft is clearly in league with the devil. Removing the functional (I assume) Linux boxen for Windows machines (Now packed with Extra Failure!) is pretty damned crappy. I wonder if Microsoft handed out blankets with smallpox while there were at it.

    --
    Why is this thus? What is the reason for this thusness?
  4. Re:Dear poor schools..... by Risen888 · · Score: 0, Troll

    The white man made the problems. Africa is the most resource-rich continent on the planet. The colonial system that the white man put in place, and the post-colonial governance systems modeled after said, are the cause of 100% of Africa's problems. The very least we can do is pony up some cash to help dig them out of the mess we left them in.

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    Hey, I finally got my first freak! Took you long enough!
  5. Hey, look, the prodigal dumbfuck returns! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

    Aren't you the idiot who claimed the Apple store didn't fully refund opened software, and when proven wrong about that, then claimed they didn't sell games, and when proven wrong about THAT, started whining to the mods that the proof of you being wrong was "off topic".

    And the whole time you were quoting from the very document that proved you were full of shit but you were too stupid to scroll down to see it?

    Yes indeed you are that fucking idiot.