Re: [Fsfe-uk] M$ jump on the poverty bandwagon

[Tom Chance]

Ahoy,

On Saturday 02 Jul 2005 20:50, Martyn wrote:
> Is it just me, or did it rile anyone else that Mr Gates appeared on Live8?
>
> I didn't catch his entire "speech", but to me, it just gets my goat that
> someone whos company spends such an amount on advertising products,
> spreading FUD about Free alternatives to expensive software which keeps
> people in poverty or piracy is claiming to be against poverty.
>
> I can appreciate that the big names lending their support might impact
> on the G8, but to me it just reeks of a publicity stunt to make people
> think that M$ actually have morals.
>
> Just wondering if we can use this two-facedness in pro-FS literature,
> and felt like a bit of a rant, hope noone minds.

IMO commenting on this is best left to individuals. Making any kind of 
statement about Live8 and the various events organised around the G8 summit 
next week are prone to huge differences of opinion that don't really serve 
the free software movement well. For example, I would say that Gates belongs 
on stage amongst a bunch of celebrities, not least because of the Bill & 
Melinda Gates Foundation, which gives quite considerable sums to "worthy 
causes". I might add that Live8 is a ridiculous waste of energy and a 
diversion from what really needs focus, etc. etc.

Write a rant for a magazine or open publishing web site, just don't get too 
caught up in a techie free softie mindset about issues like global 
poverty ;-)

Regards,
Tom

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