FC: More on Microsoft threatening charities over Windows fees

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

Original Politech message:
http://www.politechbot.com/p-02261.html

For the record, I never heard back directly from Microsoft.

-Declan

*********

> From: Nathan Cochrane <fairfaxit () yahoo com>
> To: declan () well com
>
> Hi Declan
>
> I just thought you might like to know. I had a call from a very
> distressed August One employee -- PR for Microsoft Australia -- trying
> to monster me over the posting to "Pol-eye-tech", as he called it.
>
> He asked me: "Is this how Age journalists behave?"
>
> After a frank exchange, he quieted down a bit and went on to ask: "Would
> you like some more information so you can be across (the dispute)?"
>
> I said: "Absolutely. Send me all you've got. And I will send it to
> Declan."
>
> He accused me of launching an "attack" on Microsoft. I said if I wanted
> to attack Microsoft, I would do more than post a message to a
> subscription listgroup where I gave Microsoft the benefit of the doubt.
>
> It seems reporters should only get their information from, and speak to,
> Microsoft Certified Information Sources (MCIS) TM.
>
> I was surprised at the speed and ferocity of the "wording up" from
> Microsoft's minders on this occasion. It took a round trip of less than
> an hour from post to phone call. Not bad considering it's across a dozen
> time zones.
>
> Our reporter will soon file a story on the dispute, which has held up
> about 600 PCs to East Timor and Australia. I am sure Microsoft will have
> ample opportunity to refute the claims from the charity.
>
> all the best
>
> Nathan

*********

Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 16:50:18 -0700 (PDT)
From: Nathan Cochrane <fairfaxit () yahoo com>
Subject: Microsoft's response to PCs for Kids
To: declan () well com

Hi Declan

The story published in the paper today, from Garry
Barker:

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/2001/07/14/FFXAPVFU2PC.html

...
In a letter this week to Colin Bayes, the founder and
president of PCs for Kids, Vanessa Hutley, Microsoft's
corporate attorney in Sydney, said: "You have
acknowledged that your practices ... of hard-loading
the software on to PCs is an infringement of
Microsoft's copyright ... Microsoft must insist that
you find some other source of software ..."

Ms Hutley told The Age that Microsoft required that
PCs for Kids "work with its donors" to obtain
individual licences, CDs and manuals for each machine.

"That would cost us up to $600 per machine. We don't
have that kind of money," said Mr Bayes. "I think this
is a case of greed and double-dipping. These are old,
secondhand machines, donated to us for charitable
purposes."

*********




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