[Linux-aus] Microsoft Offer to Australian University Students

[Glen Turner]

On Thu, 2008-03-06 at 21:05 +1100, James Collier wrote:

> Other than the dirty looking man in the website, and the suspicious
> method of payment, it annoys me that Microsoft is once again using it's
> marketing power to lure people who might otherwise use FOSS office
> suites to a cheap version of the "standard" office suite.

Well do something about it.

Ask the sender of the message why they are promoting $75 Microsoft
Office over the competing $0 OpenOffice.org.

Ask them if they see this siding with one particular vendor as
the proper role for a university, and how this squares with the
competitive neutrality expectations of universities.

Ask them if the university is doing this promotion to students
in anticipation of lower Microsoft licensing fees for the
university's own software purchases.  Or conversely, if they
do not engage in this promotion can they expect higher licensing
fees?

Publish the results in the local student rag, they're always
looking for material.  Send the e-mails to a talk-back radio
station.

-- 
Glen Turner <http://www.gdt.id.au/~gdt/>
0416 295 857 or +61 416 295 857