Please don't get me wrong. Personally, I have switched to FireFox. My whole university has moved to using FireFox as the standard browser. 90% of our servers are either Linux or Unix. Open Source is definitely my friend. I totally agree that FireFox has alleviated a lot of my virus problems.
But the key is standard and support. If Microsoft has a problem with their software and it is easily penetrable by viruses, the question is how can they maximize their donations and keep the computers running as long as possible. If a virus destroys a machine and there is limited tech support, the computer will be down. The people that the computer was originally trying to service would not be able to gain any benefit. Microsoft's solution to this problem is to lock everything down so no new software can be loaded on to the computer. In fact, many public computers at universities and libraries around the US have very similar policies. Software is loaded and no additional software is permitted unless it is loaded by the IT department. In many cases, the computers are restored to the standard configuration on a nightly bases. I would admit that Microsoft wants to prompt itself where ever it can, no-the-less I want to point out that there are system issues was not considered. God bless, Sam Young CIO La Sierra University -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Tom Brough Sent: Sunday, December 11, 2005 12:22 PM To: The Digital Divide Network discussion group Subject: Re: [DDN] Fwd: [GKD] Microsoft Donations: Roses with Thorns? Samuel Young wrote: > As a CIO of a small university, I can certainly understand why the Gates > foundation place some limitations or standards on these computers. They > have to assume that these computers are going to locations that do not or > have very little computer support. If that is the case, they must make > these computers as virus and idiot proof as possible. > Consider the alternative. If they were to allow everyone to install > programs and some how the computers were incapacitated, the benefactor > will > not be able to use the computers. Another words, all those youths > will be > left without computers and an exposure to computers. > > Additionally, if the computers are disabled, the Gates foundation and > Microsoft corporation will receive very negative publicity. > > Sam Young > CIO > La Sierra University > > > Sorry I dont agree with this argument at all, the desire to install firefox over IE = global rights for users to install anything they want. One issue is the choice of software, other is that the policies the local admin put in place to stop unwanted software from being install, you will have to come up with a better argument than that ! ;-) Anyway the whole argument was that by having IE installed (a microsoft product last time I looked), the viruses where comming in thick and fast and that is why they wanted to install firefox instead (a non microsoft product last time I looked). Surely it should be the local admins right to set policies for security and not BG ? If Microsofts software is so bad that it can not protect itself against viruses (without 3rd party software) then perhaps that says something about the products that Microsoft designs. Come on its like saying "this is the worlds most secure computer ..... as long as you dont plug it in and switch it on!" IMHO windows is a design floor. Why on earth should you buy a piece of software and then have to go and buy yet another piece of software in order to protect the first piece of software ? But I guess while BG can make money out of selling insecure software and the anti-virus software writers can make money out of protecting it, why upset the apple cart, we can all make money together out of this (apart from the poor who can ill aford it). Please come back with a much better argument than that before you defend BG "security policy" for donated computers. Lets face it the man doesnt want anyone to find out that there are alternatives and some of them might actually be better than what he has to offer. If Bill Gates had nothing to fear he would NOT have put such restrictions on the donation in the first place. Tom. [EMAIL PROTECTED] Whos going to have a cold shower now ! _______________________________________________ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message. _______________________________________________ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
