[afro-nets] Microsoft Donations: Roses with Thorns?

[Kris Dev <krisdev@gmail.com>]

Microsoft Donations: Roses with Thorns?
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Forwarded message
From: Augusta Molnar <amolnar@forest-trends.org>
Date: Dec 8, 2005 6:26 AM
Subject: [GKD] Microsoft Donations: Roses with Thorns?

Dear GKD Members,

I am writing from Oaxaca, Mexico where I am visiting communities
in the highlands. They have been beneficiaries of a very cool
project financed in part by the Gates foundation to install a
wireless connection and a set of computers for the schools. We
are working on a network in the Latin America region for commu-
nities for which we use by preference FireFox as our browser. We
suggested they try this browser as Explorer was causing prob-
lems, and discovered to our surprise that the Gates foundation
"gift" comes with tags.

The computer network does not allow any of the users of the do-
nated computers to install any software not owned by Microsoft,
even any open source software. The network within which the com-
puters reside will not allow any individual computers to
download software to install, ostensibly to prevent viruses and
incompatible software from jeopardizing the Microsoft system.

These are computers installed for educational purposes in a num-
ber of telecenters in the public libraries in Mexico for all the
young students preparing for a global world. These computers are
therefore their only affordable access to the Internet and to
learning about computers and programs. A significant number of
them will leave this town to work at least part of their life
elsewhere in Mexico or in the U.S. Their work and career oppor-
tunities will depend upon their skills and preparedness.

I am reminded of my youth, working in the vicinity of USAID pro-
grams which only purchased American-made cars shipped to remote
corners of Asia for irrigation projects, etc., because the tied
money only allowed US bids. (Ever try to blow up a pneumatic
truck tire with a bicycle pump in a small town in Asia?)

Is this standard Gates foundation policies?????? Is this type of
tag allowed??

Interested to hear from those of you who are more knowledgeable
on this point.


Augusta Molnar
Director, Community and Markets Program
Forest Trends
1050 Potomac Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20007, USA
Tel: +1-202-298-3006
Fax: +1-202-298-3014
mailto:amolnar@forest-trends.org
http://www.forest-trends.org