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Microsoft Invents $1.15/Hour Homework Fee For Kids

theodp writes "Microsoft's vision of your computing future is on display in its just-published patent application for the Metered Pay-As-You-Go Computing Experience. The plan, as Microsoft explains it, involves charging students $1.15 an hour to do their homework, making an Office bundle available for $1/hour, and billing gamers $1.25 for each hour of fun. In addition to your PC, Microsoft also discloses plans to bring the chargeback scheme to your cellphone and automobile — GPS, satellite radio, backseat video entertainment system. 'Both users and suppliers benefit from this new business model,' concludes Microsoft, while conceding that 'the supplier can develop a revenue stream business that may actually have higher value than the one-time purchase model currently practiced.' But don't worry kids, that's only if you do more than 52 hours of homework a year!"

3 of 580 comments (clear)

  1. Coersive Ecconomics Won't Work by itsybitsy · · Score: 0, Troll

    Rebel kids. Rebel. Just say NO to coercive economic systems.

    Live Free!

  2. Re:The Ultimate Steal? by FishWithAHammer · · Score: 1, Troll

    The problem with that is that OpenOffice sucks.

    So does Office 2007, but at least it sucks in a commonly used and consistent manner. Me, I have a legal copy of Office 2003 (which kicks OpenOffice up and down the road so hard it's not funny) and I'm content.

    "Enjoy the choice?" Are you joking?

    --
    "You can either have software quality or you can have pointer arithmetic, but you cannot have both at the same time."
  3. Re:In other news... by aliquis · · Score: 0, Troll

    I can see how the price modell works ok in Asia but what about Africa? Something needs to be fixed with it. Maybe they could charge by stomach volume covering said erection?