Discussion of all things related to Public Domain

[tom poe <tompoe AT renonevada.net>]

On Tuesday 30 April 2002 21:45, Roger Dingledine wrote:

> I mean, their statement is false -- I buy my computers from a fine
> place called www.kc-computers.com (for example, that's where I got the
> machine running seul.org), and when I say "no operating system please"
> he's just fine with that. But there's a big difference between "I'm an
> exception so your statement isn't totally correct" and "Your statement
> doesn't apply to anybody."
>
> Hm.
>
> --Roger

Hi:  You answered your own question, I think.  Microsoft is putting the word 
out, that any and all computers must retain the original OS for the life of 
the computer.  Period.  No consideration for your situation.  No 
consideration for any other situation.  That, is misleading those who cannot 
afford to question, e.g., schools, libraries, public institutions, 
nonprofits, and the list goes on.  A fair web site would specify that the 
following information applies to M$ products only.  Then, it would be up to 
someone to test the EULA in court, as to whether they are over-reaching.  
Who's going to spend the money?  Until some organization does, what we have 
in front of us, is a dampening, and a disastrous dampening of the concept we 
know as donation of computers to those who so desperately need them.  Did you 
see the article that mentioned " - - - Most recyclers, he says, "want to lay 
low and not take MS on," which is of course a perfectly prudent point of 
view. His organisation gets donated computers, then finds itself buying and 
installing new software even when it's "pretty sure" the software on the 
machine is licensed already. He also points out that it's difficult and more 
expensive to source older operating software that will actually run on older 
machines, because Microsoft pushes its new software, which won't."

That, amounts to raising the cost of most computers donated by 100%, right?  
In other words, we are seeing a significant cut of half of the donated 
computer market for no other reason than some M$ crappola, which means half 
of those that might benefit from a donated computer, will lose out, 
altogether.  Why?  This is the same company that donated so much money to 
bringing affordable research and drugs to Africa.  The next step they took, 
was to send in auditors, and shut down those clinics that did not present 
proper records and paperwork.  People die when their medicine gets shut off 
without notice!  

As for your comment that there's "a big difference between "I'm an
exception so your statement isn't totally correct" and "Your statement
doesn't apply to anybody."".  I'd like you to think about whether a better 
way to put it, is, there's a big difference between "Your statement applies 
to everyone" and "Your statement does not apply to donated equipment, unless 
it contains your software/OS, and then it does not apply to any hardware, 
until you legally establish such."
Thanks,
Tom Poe
http://www.studioforrecording.org/
http://www.ibiblio.org/studioforrecording/
http://renotahoe.pm.org/