Re: [Fsfe-uk] Time to boycot OLPC?

[Ian Lynch]

On Wed, 2008-04-23 at 19:12 +0100, Robin Green wrote:
> On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:32:52 +0100
> Noah Slater <address@hidden> wrote:
> 
> > Hey,
> > 
> > Sorry for the inflated subject, but hey...
> > 
> >   
> > http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/04/23/olpc-scrap-linux-windows
> > 
> > I CAN HAZ OPEN SAUCE!?
> > 
> > Aside from the hilarious spelling mistakes, is this real?
> > 
> > Are OLPC really about to scrap "Linux" for Windows?
> 
> This is apparently forseen in response to Microsoft offering Windows and
> Office for $3 to students in developing countries. But that still works
> out as $3 million extra per million kids - that's a lot of money for
> dubious "experience", which can in any case be picked up later in life
> if they need it. Well, apparently some governments *are* interested in
> paying about $3million extra per million kids, just to have Windows on
> the laptops. Sad.
> 
> Still that shouldn't prevent other countries buying the Linux version
> for $3 less, so it still doesn't make sense. Unless Microsoft are up to
> their old anti-competitive tricks (not allowed to sell even one machine
> with Linux on it if you sell any with Windows on them - that was the
> scandalous approach they used to take with OEMs).
> 
> However, I expect Microsoft will eventually give Windows away as a
> freebie to developing country students, to protect its monopolies.

Only snag with that strategy is that I take the windows license off that
machine and transfer it to a desktop in UK. Now MS might say that is
illegal but previous test cases on transfer of licenses in court have
gone against them so..

All of this is just delaying tactics. MS Windows was a busted flush as
soon as internet applications started to emerge and cell phones became
the dominating volume personal computers. It's simply down hill from now
on and MS is trying to use its balls as brake blocks ;-)

Ian
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