Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft Donates Windows 8.1 To Nonprofit Organizations
An anonymous reader writes in with good news for Windows loving nonprofits and libraries. "Microsoft today announced the availability of Windows 8.1 for nonprofits. The move is an extension of the company's nod to the nonprofit community with the launch Windows 8. The announcement means eligible nonprofit organizations and public libraries can request Windows 8.1 through Microsoft's software donation program."
Now those non-profits will not have to look towards free alternatives such as Linux! True humanitarians.
As fast as you can the other way!
The real goal is "we want more people to choose to accept windows 8.x than would rather accept herpes"
,,and attempting to mirror some previous success stories post giveaways.
Microsoft today announced the availability of Windows 8.1 for tax avoiders. The move is an extension of the company's nod to the tax avoidance community with the launch Windows 8. The announcement means eligible tax adverse institutions and public libraries can request Windows 8.1 through Microsoft's software donation program.
Income earned from interest paid by "non-profits" is tax exempt. That's why all the new hospitals are "non-profits" financed with billions in tax exempt bonds.
will the FSF be signing up for this?
So they try to spread their disease by the way of the free. I got a free copy of Windows 8 with my new monitor. It's just sitting on a shelf unused.
...rattlesnake ranchers donate dozens of specimens to local playgrounds.
Give away the software, but charge them if they want to remove it. Extra points if they can figure out how to make it un-installable. That'll be the new Microsoft way.
"We want more people to choose to accept Windows 8.x as their savior."
It's called preying upon the weak.
Taxing time, unless you can write that off?
I wouldn't use it if it was free. Windows 8.x is the most horrible operating system I have ever experienced. I can't think of a worse OS. If this doesn't end the Windows OS I don't know what will. It was so frustrating I returned the laptop. The replacement system will be a Mac and not because it was my first choice. It will be a Mac because Windows 8.x is unusable.
Damm, does microsoft hate them that much?
That's just not fair... Just because they don't throw money at microsoft. That's no reason to give them windows 8.
I can't even find a students version.
I love Jesus, except for his foreign policy.
I wonder if this will force Android/Linux to make their software free for non-profits as well... oh wait.
Did you check TPB?
It is plain obvious why. NGOs are one of the driving forces of the work landscape and a field of training for natives entering the IT field. This is a move to limit expansion and people getting know-how about open source alternatives in the 3rd world. Plus, they know they will lock them in additional software/services like Office 365.
Football is a popular game all over the country & i also like it very much.
Sorry to say this Microsoft, but even Ubuntu's Unity bullshit is a better user experience than Metro.
Microsoft want to give me a free copy of Windows 8.1? No thanks. It has no value to me. I'll only consider accepting "free" Windows 8.1 if it comes with a six figure donation to my bank account each year. Otherwise I'll use Linux and get some real work done.
p.s. I'd probably be willing to accept five figures if they'll let me run Linux in a virtual machine and then ignore Windows.
Now all they have to do is upgrade all of their other "free" Microsoft stuff to be compatible, assuming they fell for this BS before.
TechSoup Global
Through TechSoup Global, Microsoft donates software to tens of thousands of nonprofit organizations and nongovernmental organizations around the world. Get it? hint: soup kitchen
Having to work for a living is the root of all evil.
I spent three years working on device driver features for Windows 8.x and it is disgusting to see all that effort go to waste as almost no one wants to be saddled with "Modern" UI headaches. Luckily I mostly work on OS agnostic features these days as I was about ready to quit once 8.1 went RTM. Windows 7 is dead? LONG LIVE WINDOWS 7!
I can't even find a students version.
Don't know where you're checking but I can find copies by walking into Staples. Most small shops still sell OEM copies too. You can order on their web site too if walking is too difficult.
WWWHHHHYYY?! Why would they do that to them? They might as well donate a brick to their window too. All their IT systems will come to a screeching halt! The power bill will go through the roof since nobody can find the damn shutdown button. This is the worst thing that could ever happen to any charity organization! Plus, it doesn't boot without EUFI! Do you think they have the budget for UEFI-capable computers? Fuck no, they're mostly P4's.
Last i checked, NGOs' don't have to accept the offer. What's the matter with you !
Microsoft also gives free Windows licenses to students through various programs. But there is always a catch. In this case, Microsoft wants its users to adopt its own formats and use its network services, essentially pushing users into an endless cycle of relying on Microsoft software and services, allowing Microsoft to push for unreasonable terms, include more privacy-invasive features to gain more information about their users, increased OS reliance on Microsoft's network/cloud computing, and, of course, to make more money. Making money on its own, of course, is not usually a bad thing, but when a company like Microsoft controls a significant portion of the market it is certainly bad. I hear non-profits and governments are also often more likely to adopt free (-as in freedom) software such as LibreOffice and occasionally GNU/Linux, which could explain why they are a target of this campaign.
Remember people: this isn't being done to benefit you, it's done to benefit Microsoft.
They have to find a way to overcome all of the negative press somehow. By giving the product away, they hope users will fall in love with the product when they use the free version. Microsoft needs to learn how to listen to their users. They can't hear the cries of "We love Windows 7" because they (meaning Microsoft) are too busy shouting "Here's Windows 8! You're gonna love it!" Even after people failed to love it, Microsoft is resorting to giving it away, hoping to win over the user community with bribery.
I suppose this includes BILLION dollar organizations like the non-profit NFL and non-profit healthcare companies. Like they need another way to save a buck.
"What Apple Does and Doesn't Know About You"
"Microsoft Donates Windows 8.1 To Nonprofit Organizations"
Both by samzenpus.
I can't help but think about Apple already doing this and seeing this as another Microsoft copy cat act. And I pity those that adopt Windows 8. I have clients that use windows 8 and some that have Server 2012. Stop for a second, Why the #%^$%^#@ do you need the metro interface on the server? That's a rant for another day, back to this current one. My current field experiences with Windows 8 have been filled with annoyances and frustration. Want to put a short cut on your desktop that is on the Metro interface but not on the desktop? Push the Windows key on the KB, start tying the application name. When the application appears, right click it. Click some bullshit down at the bottom of the screen. From there, click some other bullshit. From there select "Open Location." When the explorer.exe window open, fine the applications executable. Right click the executable, then select "Send To" then select "To Desktop(Create shortcut)." Seriously, W.T.F. You want to set up a VPN connection using Microsoft VPN? Well, remember the good old days when you could put a short cut of the VPN connection on the desktop, double click it open the actual VPN connection? HAHAHAHA Those days are GONE! Make your little VPN connection, stick the short cut on the desktop, double click it, guess what opens? The little network connectivity sidebar(Sorry, I don't know the proper name of it), where you select your VPN connection, then click the "Connect" button, THEN we are at the point to how it used to be in Windows XP, Vista, and 7. Anyway, I am tired of typing.
That would be quite generous considering that each license is a $699 retail value.
it doesn't boot without EUFI!
Since when? I thought Windows 8.1's system requirements were the same as those of Windows 8, and that included allowing Vista-to-8 or 7-to-8 upgrades on non-UEFI systems.
I work with a charity that has access to the MS discounts and there is one authorized outlet for it, Tech Soup. MS has ALWAYS made the latest version available so this is nothing new. It is just an astroturfing post to try and drum up some good PR for the embattled and truly miserable OS.
That said why is MS so cruel to those in need?
I consider Windows 8 a lot like diarrhea after a long day of constipation pain. Finally you get to take a crap and all of it comes out and you feel relieved. Even constipation feels good in the end, and well, windows 8 is the same. It works great if you have a touchscreen but it comes with a lot of problems and is incomplete, and 8.1 is like a downgrade. Want to run skype with xampp? Good luck! You have to close skype first, run xampp and then open skype again because skype uses port 80 without allowing you to configure much of anything. They tried the apple approach and that's why they failed, because they made it too simple it's stupid.
Never EVER create a computer that tries to think its smarter than the user. That is what windows 8 does and why it fails so miserably. Does it run smoothly? Yes. Does it look pretty? Absolutely. Is metro pretty cool? Yeah, works better than the start menu but it could be better. How? By giving the users more control. It's terribly inconvenient to try and add non-metro apps to the metro screen and when windows 8.1 came out, it was ridiculous trying to figure out how to get access to all my programs, control panel etc... For god sake microsoft get your act together! Also, if you upgrade to 8.1, it becomes more difficult to close programs, you have to hold it at the bottom of the screen for a few seconds until the window angles itself and then you can let go. but that only works on metro apps. If you want to close any other app, you have to do it traditionally, which is really annoying. Also, don't upgrade to 8.1 if you pan to use a mouse because 8.1 breaks the DPI settings and so forth trying to be smarter than the user again.
I want to downgrade to windows 7, but I'm not sure if it will work well with touchscreen. Anyone know the answer to this?
They'll have to pay the non-profits to take it.
Maybe it is an act of aggression against Bill Gates, who has redefined himself as a philanthropist. Ballmer knows that he will never have any of the respect that Gates has achieved since he left Microsoft. He may think that poisoning the non-profit sector will partly blunt Gate's legacy. This would certainly fit with Ballmer's previous demeanor.
Why is Snark Required?
Reminds me of the old Goodies' joke: First prize is dinner with X; Second prize is TWO dinners with X
First they donate it to non-profits ... ...
Then they donate it to schools
Then to universities
Then to the hospitals
Then to the politicians
Then to the developers
Finally they donate to the existing Windows XP users.
But nobody is interested; not even the pirates; since nobody wants to be infected with Windows 8.x.
If you keep throwing chairs, one day you'll break windows....
MSFT was up today, highest of the last three and a record in 10+ years.
XP about to enter End Of Life.
Balmer, Leaving Lock Stock And Barrel. The 'Clown' shows the crowd the Finger then walks out of center ring.
Exodus of 10K MS engineers world wide in the next 12 months.
William Beatrix Gates to exit Board.
Exodus of 10 Billion shares owned by CALTRANS + Cal Teachers + NewYork Teachers + exit of Teamsters Unions State wide and National.
A Perfect Stock Price Storm brewing.
Good.
PS A 'Jerry Penn State Event' to hit when it gets through the US District Courts Systems! Who will IT (i.e. the Pervert) be?
LOL
Everyone is focusing on the obvious benefits of PR and trying to spread adoption and avoiding cheaper competitors gaining market share.
But I suspect even if you completely removed these benefits the donations make a profit for MS.
How? First subtract the revenue of the tiny handful of non-profits that would purchase Win8 on their own, then add the tax writeoffs they get from all the "donated" copies of Windows.
Can any accountants chime in on whether they could save more on their taxes than it actually cost to set up the program?
I stole this Sig
Classic Shell hides most of the Modern UI crap for you. I use it at work, and it's the only way I could find Windows 8 remotely bearable.
right on now your charity too can be spied on....and look like shit and become dependent on a for profit company that has not your interest at heart...
8.2 and 9 will cost you
Microsoft Donates Windows 8.1 To Nonprofit Organizations
Nonprofit Organizations say "No Thanks" and stab themselves in the eye instead. Film at 11.
Hi, I am experimenting with burning polycarbonate for fuel.
I'll take all of your Windows 8.1 CD's and burn them for you.
I'll help the world in two ways, in the right type of furnace it produces energy.
The second way is to keep this shitty operating system off of other peoples computers.
If I get what's going on here, we won't be able to use our libraries, and we will be forced to buy the books from Amazon...
I can't even find a students version.
Yeah, people are willing to pay for Win7, so there is no reason to donate it.
I assume donated copies will count as market penetration in financial reports and such?
They do. Windows 7 and a bunch of other software products are offered via TechSoup.
It's true.
MS is using this faux charitability to advance their agenda, because they know it's the only way to make people use.. whatever you would consider W8.1. If they really cared about non-profits, why not ask what they need and work out a deal to offer that?
And let's not forget that any open source project does the same thing for EVERYTHING they produce. So what does MS really deserve praise for here? Microsofts products aren't even worth a penny compared to alternatives anyways, but when they reduce their prices on products on which they already make absurd margins, we're supposed to worship them like saints. Please.
I have left slashdot and am now on Soylent News. FUCK YOU DICE.
Its been a long while since I haven't sneered at a story about MS. That just shows to go you, its not all bad.
Good one Microsoft. People need all the help they can get, these days. Keep it up.
The announcement means eligible nonprofit organizations and public libraries can request Windows 8.1 through Microsoft's software donation program
It was an attempt to stop public libraries from upgrading their Windows desktops.
Such as BlackBerry, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest...
"Microsoft today announced the availability of Windows 8.1 for nonprofits. The move is an extension of the company's nod to the nonprofit community with the launch Windows 8. The announcement means eligible nonprofit organizations and public libraries can request Windows 8.1 through Microsoft's software donation program."
Still runnning the same ole engulf-and-assimilate game plan. In this case keeping Linux off the Desktop and getting some free publicity in return. Remember this is the company that acted to sabotage the OLPC project by offering to 'support' the effort but only if they came with Windows.
I donated Windows Vista to the Heritage Foundation.
Table-ized A.I.
While GP was largely being melodramatic, there is a point. Real NPO's are always short on cash. They're never going to be running the latest hardware, but that of several years back. They're probably XP users, not 7 or Vista. Windows 8+ will be beyond the reach of most charitable organizations. And that's only from a hardware perspective.
"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."
> I can find copies by walking into Staples
What is this, The XXth century ?
Free, huh? That's the right price.
I was actually one of those hold-outs sticking with XP (rather, my bosses at work were, since it's their machine) until last year. Last year we got Win7 and I really am surprised at how much I like it.
But Win 8 and brothers? No way. They'd have to pay me.
If this were Usenet, I'd killfile the lot of you.
Get a Windows 8 license (Pro), download the appropriate Windows 7 Pro ISO from digital river.
Legal and efficient.
Finally had enough. Come see us over at https://soylentnews.org/
If this is true thank you. I must investigate.
I love Jesus, except for his foreign policy.
Apparently Microsoft hates nonprofit organisations and wants them to spend their time fixing problems with Windows instead of doing charity.
"The Muffin Tops" Seinfeld episode...
Fucking a fat girl is like riding a scooter... it's fun 'til someone sees you.
I thought Windows 8.1's system requirements were the same as those of Windows 8.
Actually some older CPUs could run Windows 8.0 in 64-Bits mode but are not supported in Windows 8.1.
Comment removed based on user account deletion
Having worked for a non-profit, all I can say is... that's nice but who donates hardware that Win8.1 can run on?
As of 2009, the fastest computer at the org I was volunteering at was 1.2GHz with 512Mb of memory.
Make America grate again!
Understanding Downgrade Rights Windows 8/1 Pro can be downgraded to Windows 7 Pro.
Digital River is the official online distributor for Microsoft products. Content hosted by them (mydigitallifecontent) is legitimate. Search for "Windows 7 iso digital river" and you'll see several forums linking to Digital River hosted ISOs directly.
Finally had enough. Come see us over at https://soylentnews.org/
I can't even find a students version.
Try DreamSpark...
In the real world, time is precious. And having money counts. Thus:
- I have zero time to waste trying to compile and setup my computer with linux and such. Zero. A computer is an appliance. Are you ready to spend many evenings with your washing machine to make it work properly ? I guess not. I have tried with Ubuntu and, after a few nights wasted trying to make it show something on the screen (and after some helpful and arrogant answers like "write your own graphic driver !" from the ever-friendly linux community), I gave up. I have other things to do.
- Windows pays my bills. Very nicely, actually. Why would I look at a losing proposition ? As a hobby ? No, thanks, diving in some very cryptic and undocumented commands to make something work, and wasting evenings on forums trying to find out a remedy, is not my idea of time well-spent.
- 80% of the software I need and want is windows-only.
- Perfect inter-operatibility with all my friends and co-workers.
- I do not plan, or need, to own a server.
- This means that 100-1.61 = 98.39% of the desktop computer owners in the world are really stupid. You, guys, on the other hand... Well...
People - your hate is somewhat ridiculous, and it makes you look quite immature. Really. The guy saying that he would ask a six-digit yearly stipend for accepting a free copy of (unusable) windows is a perfect example. Your acne is showing.
The first one is always free.
---- Booth was a patriot ----
Profit: Free Trial
IT'S A TRAP!!!
Microsoft has been "donating" to non-profits for years. It's actually a quite cynical process whereby they seed the market to gain market share. In my opinion they really should not get the tax breaks that come to them from these "donations." But this one is laughable because receiving Windows 8 or its decendents is going to benefit precisely no one.
Jedis are stupid. If they were so powerful, why couldn't they handle counseling for a kid who missed his mom?
Didn't they suffer enough already?
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
An Acer C*O claimed this but gave no evidence and the little alluded to were definitely false.
It was an attempt to push the Windows version of their netbooks out since their agreement with Microsoft was that they had to sell at least X% (something like 60%) of their netbooks as Windows installs and they never had any Linux ones available because their stock was insufficient, therefore having to give "replacements" of Windows machines to shift the stock because they could not get any more until they shifted the remaining Windows units.
You must be the only person on Earth who has never actually used Microsoft Windows.
If Jobs didn't give away Macs to schools there probably wouldn't be an apple today.
Wuddooeyeno? IITYWYBMAD? Like nuts? eclecticallyincorrect.com
you'll see several forums linking to Digital River hosted ISOs directly.
I concur, Doctor. Been using the XP iso's for years and now the 7's. Good thing they don't wear out with usage...
Plus, MS India is not too concerned which crap version you're downgrading, just say/install 7 Pro. Dozens & dozens of Vista Home-not-so-Premiums have been running XP Pro for years, 8 non-pro's running 7 Pro for about a year now.
Who would have thought the Vista Downgrades would be eclipsed? I've read, but not confirmed, that 40% of new Win puters sold have been downgraded despite OEM's unhelpful stance on legacy OS drivers... Thanks alot Asus you fuckers.
Literally nobody wants it, so microsoft is going to give it away for free just to get some users for their statistics.
Windows is dead.
I understood that they donated Windows 8.1 (ownership) to a nonprofit organization...
If toxic waste showed up at my doorstep, I wouldn't call it a "donation" so much as a dump job.
I'd love to have a viable alternative to M$
But, you know, I've got windows 8.1 installed on at least 4 generations of computers at home. Every one was a simple install. It supports every program I need to work. (3ds max, photoshop, etc ...). With Windows 8.1 they finally understood that a 100$ pricepoint works for a full version home edition. Drivers are easy to come by and simple to install. Storage spaces can be set up in a few clicks instead of mucking around with raid drivers. Mapping a network drive to a nas is as easy as double clicking network and finding your drive. Users are easy to manage. Screen resolution and multiple screens, easy to configure. Remote desktop was easy, and MS has an android version available. For me, it just works.
By comparison, every experience I've had on Linux has involved rummaging through forums for cli commands, hoping someone out there has had the same problems you have. Map a network drive ? The first version of Ubuntu I tried actually had a GUI for this that worked. They've since removed it (too convenient maybe ?). Now, Gedit that Fstab and make those samba shares manually if you want this to work. I later switched to mint. When I tried to change the timezone and couldn't find the settings in the location/time interface (Silly me) Google gets me.. use this command and install this to change your timezones. Seriously ? I haven't even bothered trying to make a raid, I'd probably hurt myself. Screen resolution and multiple screens has been hit or miss depending on the versions I tried. On install they usually installed correctly. If anything graphic changed, I've come to expect the linux systems to have a seisure. Drivers involved unlocking third party installers. Sound on many occasions turned off for some reason and I needed to start some sort of command line mixer to get it working again. And when I get a program from a repo, if it doesn't set itself up in the menu, I'm still not sure where I'm supposed to look for it. None of the books I found actually explained how and where a good installer is supposed to install the programs. They just say to sudo get whfever and hope it works. So how do I install the latest experimental blender version from graphicall if it's not in the repo already ?
I'm not a programmer, I'm obviously not as knowledgeable as many of the people here. I'm just a user. And I need my computer to be a tool that helps me do what I need to do in a simple intuitive manner (Not dumbed down). Hate on win 8.1 all you like but with it, shit just works. If Linux could say the same, we wouldn't still be waiting for the year of the linux desktop.
I don't recall my windows 3.x installation ever crashing. Not once. Also it would boot up in about 1/100 of a second from dos. The only problem I remember it having was problems rendering 24 bit icons.
In other words, do they get to print their own money?
___
If you think big enough, you'll never have to do it.
Just to be clear: there's nothing insidious in this move.
Where can we get a legit valid W8 Pro. license key without the software, box, etc.?
Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
... the CDC has offered to donate ebola to the same nonprofits. Speaking on condition of anoymity, the CEO of one nonprofit stated that "on the whole, we'd rather take the ebola".