Mug-rosoft
,----[ Quote ]
| Even more maddening was the way Mandriva discovered something was amiss. It
| turns out that Nigeria didn't bother to let them know directly. "I learned it
| on Wednesday, after a journalist called the contact I gave them in Nigeria.
| We checked the source, the news [was] confirmed on that same day." Which was
| ridiculously embarrassing, given that Mandriva had issued its press release
| announcing the finalization of the deal on Tuesday [October 30].
|
| To me, having covered the crime beat before, this has all the ear marks of a
| classic mugging: a shadowy assailant, a rapid strike, and a stunned victim.
| Because Mandriva is stunned by this. They knew Microsoft was in the running
| for a similar deal, but had no idea they would be able to outright steal it.
|
| [...]
|
| "The 17,000 [PCs] are a first phase with more machines [to be sold later],"
| the CEO explained, "and this deal is representative of similar deals in many
| parts of the world."
|
| In other words, Nigeria's actions, whatever their motivation, could sabotage
| similar deals with other nations.
|
| It's the mugging that keeps on giving.
`----
http://blog.linuxtoday.com/blog/archives/071106-093949.html
Interview with Mandriva CEO, François Bancilhon
,----[ Quote ]
| Mr. Bancilhon explained that the “next billion computers will go to emerging
| markets and will be low cost.” The true opportunity for Linux, he noted, will
| be in emerging markets where the openness and customizability of the software
| for local markets has the most value. He felt that the Nigerian deal was
| particularly important because it could have been a model for other similar
| situations, which are remarkably widespread in developing countries.
`----
http://education.zdnet.com/?p=1322
Microsoft wants to 'addict' the children though, so it'll resort to any dirty
trick from the book.
The WIntel Empire Maker is hard at work.
Related:
Nigerian-Microsoft deal revealed
,----[ Quote ]
| Intel has just announced that it has donated the lappies to Nigeria for
| nothing as part of a move to train 150,000 new teachers in the populous
| African nation.
|
| [...]
|
| It appeared that Microsoft offered to use its Partners in Learning programme,
| which helps train teachers in computer skills, and the Nepad eSchools
| project, which supplies schools across Africa with computers, software,
| training, networking, connectivity, maintenance and support. This worked
| jolly well with what Intel had in mind in giving the free PCs.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2007/11/02/trojan-knocks
[Mandriva CEO:] An open letter to Steve Ballmer
,----[ Quote ]
| Wow! I’m impressed, Steve! What have you done for these guys to change their
| mind like this? It’s pretty clear to me, and it will be clear to everyone.
| How do you call what you just did Steve, in the place where you live? In my
| place, they give it various names, I’m sure you know them.
|
| Hey Steve, how do you feel looking at yourself in the mirror in the morning?
|
| Of course, I will keep fighting this one and the next one, and the next one.
| You have the money, the power, and maybe we have a different sense of ethics
| you and I, but I believe that hard work, good technology and ethics can win
| too.
`----
http://blog.mandriva.com/2007/10/31/an-open-letter-to-steve-ballmer/
Gates refused entry to Nigeria
,----[ Quote ]
| Like many third world countries, such as the UK, whose reputation for being
| hell on toast is accompanied by a weird belief by immigration officials that
| people are desperate to live there, it seems that Gates had to jump through
| many hoops before they let him in.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2007/10/08/gates-refused-entry-nigeria
Africa: 'Microsoft is Imperialistic' Says Open Source Advocates
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft Corporation's products have been locked out of the
| on-going World Social Forum (WSF) in Nairobi Kenya.
|
| With over 300 computers provided for participants and the press,
| organizers of the WSF have preferred to provide open source
| software products and blocked all Microsoft related products for
| the forum's usage and its related activities.
|
| [...]
|
| Activists at the forum also believe that since Microsoft is a
| corporate brand from the United States of America, a country
| they believe has intentions of maintaining the status quo of
| a unipolar world over which it is above international law and
| the UN, the brand should be locked out.
|
| [...]
|
| "The open source movement is providing Linux, a robust free
| software. Everybody owns it and it can be shared. And this
| is what WSF is all about - a free society, a movement
| fighting for ownership of free resources" he adds.
`----
http://allafrica.com/stories/200701230831.html
Governments Must Reject Gates' $3 Bid to Addict Next Billion PC Users
,----[ Quote ]
| "Microsoft's strategy of getting developing nations hooked on its
| software was clearly outlined by Bill Gates almost a decade ago," said
| Con Zymaris, CEO of long-standing open source firm Cybersource.
|
| Specifically, Bill Gates, citing China as an example, said:
|
| "Although about 3 million computers get sold every year in China, but
| people don't pay for the software," he said. "Someday they will, though.
| As long as they are going to steal it, we want them to steal ours.
| They'll get sort of addicted, and then we'll somehow figure out how to
| collect sometime in the next decade."[1]
`----
http://www.cybersource.com.au/press/gates_set_to_addict_next_billion.html
Poor Kids' Laptop Cranks Up
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates earlier this year told the Microsoft
| Government Leaders Forum, "Geez, get a decent computer where you can
| actually read the text and you?re not sitting there cranking the thing
| while you're trying to type" (see Bill Gates Mocks $100 Laptop).
`----
http://www.redherring.com/article.aspx?a=17302
One Laptop Per Child - Production Delays Caused By Microsoft, Intel?
,----[ Quote ]
| I sincerely hope that no matter what the people who are running the
| OLPC project decide, that their project will continue and not get
| bogged down in a play of corporate greed and ambitions.
`----
http://www.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/2007/04/28/one-laptop-per-child-production-delays-caused-by-microsoft-intel/
Negroponte says Intel should be "ashamed of itself"
,----[ Quote ]
| He is furious that Intel's CEO Craig Barrett called the One Laptop a
| gadget. The Negroponte initiative is caught in the middle of a vicious
| fight between AMD and Intel, he said.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=39733
,----[ Quote ]
| That software effort does not have the support of Mr. Otellini, who
| is concerned about incurring Microsoft's wrath, the executive said.
| The two companies have a long history of tension over who controls
| the hardware and software direction of the "Wintel standard." Intel
| has said it is supporting both operating systems.
`----
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/16/technology/16chip.html?ex=1177560000&en=2ef52cee6b1fb0e3&ei=5099&partner=TOPIXNEWS
Intel Inside the Third World
,----[ Quote ]
| Negroponte has repeatedly criticized Intel for what he considers its
| hardball tactics. And yet the rivals may be ready to bury the hatchet:
| BusinessWeek has learned that Intel and OLPC executives are in talks
| regarding how they can work together.
`----
http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/jun2007/gb20070628_140912.htm?campaign_id=yhoo
Q&A: Intel's Maloney discusses digital divide
,----[ Quote ]
| The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project also hopes its low-cost XO laptop
| can close the "digital divide" that exists between the developed world
| and emerging markets.
|
| Much has been made of these two efforts, which are often painted as
| rivals by the media and observers.
`----
http://news.yahoo.com/s/infoworld/20070611/tc_infoworld/89252
Which laptop per child?
,----[ Quote ]
| The chipmaking giant Intel is accused of damaging the non-profit scheme to
| provide cheap laptops for the developing world. It says it's helping.
|
| [...]
|
| It is not the first time that Intel has been accused of using its
| near monopoly to overpower rivals - for example, it is being
| investigated by the European Commission over allegations of
| anti-competitive behaviour. AMD, Intel's only major rival and
| the company which supplies the chips inside the XO-1, did not
| waste an opportunity to go on the offensive.
|
| "What we have here is an infinitely powerful monopoly
| metaphorically threatening to break the kneecaps of a non-profit
| if it doesn't 'get in line'," wrote AMD spokesman Michael
| Silverman in a letter published on the Barron's website.
`----
http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,,2091248,00.html
Merrill: Intel's More Interested In Crushing AMD Than Improving Margins
,----[ Quote ]
| They think that Intel is a lot more interested in reducing AMD to
| its former status than in showing much gross margin improvementt
| his year.
`----
http://biz.yahoo.com/seekingalpha/070309/29149_id.html?.v=1
Negreponte says Intel spurned cheap laptop
,----[ Quote ]
| Nicholas Negreponte at MIT said that Intel's Craig Barrett and
| Microsoft's Bill Gate had admitted remarks they'd made about the one
| notebook per child initiative were unfortunate.
|
| Speaking to CNBC Europe, Negreponte said that from his point of view
| it was unfortunate too, because when he and his team talked to
| leaders of small countries the remarks were thrown back in their
| face.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=34924
,----[ Quote ]
| Though Pentium 4s can sell for up to $637, Intel's average
| cost for making a chip comes to $40, according to a report
| from analysts In-Stat.
|
| The report doesn't consider expenses related to design
| or marketing...
`----
http://news.com.com/Intels+manufacturing+cost+40+per+chip/2100-1006_3-5862922.html
Intel: Only "Open" for Business
,----[ Quote ]
| These vendors often want a quiet private discussion,
| because in a quiet private discussion they can continue to
| dismiss the requests and in the end do absolutely nothing.
| They do not want a noisy public discussion, because then
| they look bad. But they DESERVE TO LOOK BAD, because they
| are being bad to those who bought their hardware!
`----
http://undeadly.org/cgi?action=article&sid=20060930232710&mode=expanded
|
|
