Many of these computers have been donated by companies. These companies buy
licenses, not CDs. In other words, they may have only one CD even though
they've installed on multiple machines. This is a common way to keep
licensing fees down.
This can create a major problem because the new owner of the machine does not
have a CD. Another major problem with pre-installing Windos on machines
intended for charity is that the recipients are not going to be able to
afford to upgrade once new versions of software are released. Open source
software can alleviate this concern.
On Thu, 19 Jul 2001 11:44, Miark wrote:
> I'm not a lawyer, but I think the charity would still be
> responsible to pay unless the M$ install CDs were included
> with the donated computers (unlikely, but who knows?).
>
> I don't know why the donors wouldn't give 'em the CDs too,
> though; any replacement they bought would probably already
> come with its own copy of Winsux.
>
> Miark
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Paul Clyne <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2001 4:45 AM
> Subject: Re: [newbie] microsoft hassling Aussie Charity.
>
> > At 02:32 AM 7/16/01 +1000, you wrote:
> > >This is about a *charity* that is giving computers to
>
> *poor* people. Chances
>
> > >are that these people have hardly ever touched a
>
> computer, leave alone owning
>
> > >one (no insensitivity intended). Do you think they can
>
> afford a copy of
>
> > Gotta add to this as this is a subject dear to my heart.
> >
> > I recall reading/hearing somewhere that these _donated_
>
> computers come from
>
> > the donors (typically large companies) with Windblows
>
> already
>
> > installed. Now I'm not sure of the fine print but haven't
>
> the donor
>
> > companies _already_ paid for the licence ?
> >
> > Thus MS is effectively asking for payment twice for the
>
> same piece of
>
> > software. Most business I know realise that once you have
>
> paid for an item
>
> > _once_ you own it (case in point : when you buy pavers for
>
> your house and
>
> > then you sell your house, Boral doesn't expect the new
>
> owner to pay for the
>
> > pavers a second time).
> >
> > Couldn't the donor companies just sign a bit of paper
>
> saying "donated - one
>
> > old computer complete with windows .... installed" ?
> >
> > Or is M$ a special case ??
> >
> > Once again M$ have led the field in the ever increasing
>
> race to screw
>
> > everyone. Starting with the people who can _least_ afford
>
> it.
>
> > It's a bloody charity.... M$ need to give a little and
>
> just say
>
> > "naughty. We won't take it any further, if you just stop
>
> doing
>
> > it". Alternatively they could get a heart and allow the
>
> charity to install
>
> > win95 on machines that _dont_ come pre-loaded (remember
>
> these are old
>
> > machines so they probably won't run 2000/XP) subject to a
>
> 'cap' of {say}
>
> > 200 a year.
> >
> > Alternatively, the charity could be innundated with offers
>
> of support from
>
> > the linux community asking if they have considered linux /
>
> open
>
> > office. And pointing out that the support offered by
>
> mailing lists is very
>
> > good...
> >
> > Possibly even the local linux users could come and offer
>
> to "hand hold"
>
> > through the first couple of installs.
> >
> > Now where was this charity located again ??
--
Sridhar Dhanapalan.
"There are two major products that come from Berkeley:
LSD and UNIX. We don't believe this to be a coincidence."
-- Jeremy S. Anderson
