Linux Could Prevent Use of 4,200,000,000 kg of Fossil Fuels a Year
,----[ Quote ]
| It turns out that machines that use Linux go obsolete roughly half as
| fast as Windows machines. And when they do go obsolete, it's because
| of hardware, not software (the switch from floppy drives to CD-Rs
| being a prime cause.) Thus, a world using Linux would be a world
| with half the computer waste (and, admittedly, halved sales for Dell
| and the rest.)
|
| A widespread switch to Linux could prevent literally hundreds of
| thousands of tons of waste from going into landfills every year.
| Every computer not needed would prevent the use of 240 kg of fossil
| fuels. Spread that out over the 17.5 million computers that wouldn't
| be going obsolete every year and Linux could deliver the world a
| much more sustainable future.
|
| The good news is, the world looks like it's ready to upgrade from
| Windows. Most of Asia has switched, as least in part, to Open
| Source Software (OSS); some countries, such as Indonesia, also
| think that Linux changes scofflaws into legit users. Cuba has
| reported a 500 percent increase in Linux installation in
| two years...
`----
http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/459/
Related:
Vista poses environmental dangers
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft Vista could have serious environmental implications,
| experts have warned.
|
| The latest version of Windows uses encryption methods that are
| incompatible with some older PCs. It also features high-end
| graphics capabilities that can only run on newer hardware.
`----
http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2174400/vista-poses-environmental
Greenpeace: Vista could trigger a deluge of electronic waste
,----[ Quote ]
| Beau Baconguis of the Southeast Asia section of the environmental
| protection organization Greenpeace has warned that the introduction
| by Microsoft of its new operating system Windows Vista might as a
| side effect trigger a deluge of electronic waste (E-waste). "With
| Vista, Microsoft could effectively hasten the obsolesence of half
| the world's PCs, especially in the absence of fully-functioning
| global take back systems for PCs," Ms. Baconguis declared.
`----
http://www.heise.de/english/newsticker/news/84816/from/rss09
Vista gets slated - by the Greens
,----[ Quote ]
| The Green Party has slammed Microsoft and it's forthcoming operating
| system, Windows Vista, in a withering attack on the company's "monopoly".
|
| Microsoft not only takes criticism for allegedly environmentally
| unfriendly policies, but for attacking civil liberties.
|
| The party claims that "Vista gives Microsoft the ability to lock
| you out of your computer," and that "Microsoft are determined not
| to play fair" in the video content market.
`----
http://www.webuser.co.uk/news/news.php?id=107813
Use GNU/Linux and help save the planet
,----[ Quote ]
| Are Windows users, not by choice, the worst polluters of the planet
| relative to GNU/Linux? Well, not intentionally but the lifecycle of
| a machine running Windows must be shorter than that of a
| conscientious Linux user who can prevent that old 400MHZ Celeron PC
| with 128MBs of memory gathering dust in the corner from heading for
| the scrapheap.
|
| [...]
|
| The Chinese have a saying: the journey of a thousand miles begins
| with the first step. Reusing a puffing and wheezing old computer
| by installing a minimal GNU/Linux distro and staving off the day
| when it trudges forlornly to the scrapheap is at least a baby step
| in the right direction.
`----
http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/blogs/use_gnu_linux_and_help_save_the_planet
Going green
,----[ Quote ]
| Linux is a free, open-source alternative to Windows that will happily
| run on older computers that struggle to run XP or Vista.
`----
http://www.theage.com.au/news/technology/going-green/2006/12/19/1166290549494.html
http://www.kuteev.ru/ph10/edf4.jpg
Computers in schools are an environmental time-bomb
,----[ Quote ]
| Schools are using computers as room
| heaters which then need to be cooled using expensive air conditioning
| and Modern thin-client networks could reverse this trend and are
| available from the Open Source community and vendors of proprietary
| software today.
`----
http://opensourceblog.itproportal.com/?p=213
How Windows XP Wasted $25 Billion of Energy
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/11/how_windows_xp.phpRelated
Open Source Terraforming
,----[ Quote ]
| It's not entirely clear if an open source approach for
| terraforming technology would be allowed within the Virgin
| Earth Challenge rules. The "terms and conditions" appear to
| require secrecy during the development process, but leave
| open the possibility of open licensing conditions afterwards.
| Presumably, this would include open source/free access licenses.
| This is better than nothing, but the secrecy-during-development
| requirements should have an exception for open source competitors.
| The value of the "many eyes" approach is enhanced if it isn't
| limited to after-the-fact analysis. Discovery of a flaw requiring
| a redesign is less costly--and less likely to be ignored--if it
| happens early in the development process.
`----
http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/cascio20070216/
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