Russia Mandates Free Software For Public Schools 271
Glyn Moody writes "After running some successful pilots, the Russian government has decided to make open source the standard for all schools. If a school doesn't want to use the free software supplied by the government, it has to buy commercial licenses using its own funds. What's the betting Microsoft starts slashing its prices in Russia?"
In Soviet Russia (Score:5, Funny)
Microsoft is no more!!!!
Dammit, I'm moving.
comply (Score:1, Funny)
or gulag you go
Re:In Soviet Russia (Score:5, Funny)
Re:aren't we talking about russia? (Score:5, Funny)
I know. It's so difficult to find a linux distribution these days. Ever since linux distros had to go underground I have to search the far dark corners of the internet to find a working download. If I want a copy locally, I have to go to the seedy part of town and down some dark alleyway whispering to the dealer who will get me my linux fix. Oh! If only linux were freely available from universities, computer geeks, and the internet!
It might be to Microsoft's advantage (Score:5, Funny)
If Microsoft simply let Russia go free (sounds weird right?) then perhaps there will be fewer Russian hackers writing Windows malware. That would be something of a long-shot I suppose.
Re:Slash prices? (Score:5, Funny)
Pffft. In Soviet (and Non-Soviet) Russia, Microsoft waits in a very long line to bribe the officials.
MS Should RAISE the price (Score:5, Funny)
I have an uncle who lives in Russia, where he bought a computer preloaded with XP. After some time he realized it wasn't a legit copy, and went back to the place he bought it from to inquire about getting an "upgraded" version. The manager had this to say to him: "There is exactly ONE legal copy of Windows in Russia, what makes you think that YOU should have it?"
Hence, MS should just raise the price of that one copy.
I love fill-in-the-blank puzzles! (Score:5, Funny)
Ooh! Ooh! I know this one!!!
Karma's a NOUN!
Re:Read: No Money (Score:2, Funny)
'... all excess is being put into a separate fund/account.'
Yeah; Putin's, I bet.
Re:Wise They Are (Score:2, Funny)
Thats why Linux is kicking Microsofts ass right now amirite?
What we need is an ad campaign in which Seinfeld meets Torvalds. That should do it.
Re:Is it "free" or is it "open source"? (Score:3, Funny)
Wouldn't that be "free as in shoes" then?
Re:aren't we talking about russia? (Score:4, Funny)
Are you taking ample precautions to avoid the grue?
Re:I love fill-in-the-blank puzzles! (Score:2, Funny)
Ooh! Ooh! I know this one!!!
Karma's a NOUN!
Wrong. Karma's a chameleon.
Whew! good thing the world economy is tanking... (Score:3, Funny)
Once the world economy tanks and Russia is forced to abandon free software in favor of 'for profit' OS's, then we can breathe a sigh of relief that those who came up with the OS are getting their rightful compensation for IP rights!
Re:aren't we talking about russia? (Score:4, Funny)
If only linux were freely available from universities, computer geeks, and the internet!
When I wanted to install RedHat 4.something, I went to see if they had it in my university's library. Joy! They did! Unfortunately, the librarian refused to let me check it out because I "might install it on my own computer, which would be illegal." When I finally demonstrated that it would be OK, they still refused to let me leave the library with it, although I was welcome to bring a stack of floppies to copy the CD onto (as this was before CD burners became common).
Re:More proof (Score:3, Funny)
He's not sure. He'll have a staffer get back to you.
Re:Slash prices? (Score:3, Funny)
Pffft. In Soviet (and Non-Soviet) Russia, Microsoft waits in a very long line to bribe the officials.
I bet Microsoft has even tried to patent the process.
Re:aren't we talking about russia? (Score:3, Funny)
That ranks right up there with librarians that wouldn't demagnetize the anti-theft strip in your library books if they had a CD in the back cover because it might erase it (would it have even damaged floppies?).
I always had to remember to drop those books off at the drive through so that I wouldn't set off the alarms walking into the building.
Re:More proof (Score:5, Funny)
OK, how about the fact that he dances about the stage doing monkey impersonations and shouting "Developers developers developers developers developers"?
Re:More proof (Score:4, Funny)
Compared to who? Estonia?
Don't get me wrong, the U.S. is clearly a mixed economy (a term for some reason out of favour). But it seems to be a lot more right leaning than the rest of the first world.