[Fsfe-uk] Microsoft and the DPP in South Africa

[Adam Bower]

Hi all,

I remember that someone was involved in a project similar to this in South
Africa but using free software instead of Microsoft products.

Anyhow read this http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/2568833.stm and then go
here to read a bit more (linked to from BBC article)
http://www.digitalpartnership.org/csr/csrwebassist.nsf/content/f1c2a3r4.html 

Now what interests me is why are these companies upgrading their desktop
computers if they are good enough to run Windows XP and Office XP already?
Anyhow I am sure that if these companies kept their computers and of course
started running a Gnu/Linux system (or similar) with Open Office they wouldn't
have to upgrade these machines in the first place, thus maximising shareholder
benefits etc. (of course I know that this is an oversimplified view etc. but
its still interesting to think of that way)

Of course this means that the people in South Africa wouldn't get some machines
which is probably worse than no machines at all? but then what happens to
machines that are not of a high enough spec to run Windows XP and Office XP? do
they get landfilled?

BTW I havn't read much more than those two links, except to look at the minimum
specs required to run Windows XP and Office XP (which is 233Mhz cpu, 128MB
Ram, 2GB disk space, CD/DVD drive) although I wouldn't personally want to have
to suffer XP on those specs, well preferably not at all but you get my point :) 

(here for the minimum specs for those bits of software BWT)
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/evaluation/sysreqs.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/evaluation/sysreqs.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/office/evaluation/sysreqs.asp

Adam
-- 
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