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Your title gave me a bit of a shock On 4/8/06, M.Blackmore <mblackmore@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > Venezuela Promotes Microsoft Alternative > > by Jorge Rueda > Associated Press > Caracas, Venezuela > Thursday, March 30, 2006 > http://business.bostonherald.com/technologyNews/view.bg? > articleid=132899 > > In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is > distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest > in receiving the included information for research and educational > purposes. > > President Hugo Chavez, long critical of big transnational companies, is > promoting free open-source software as an alternative to market- > dominating Microsoft Corp. > > Venezuela's science and technology ministry recently held the Latin > American Free Software Installation Fair, an event promoting the use of > the open-source Linux operating system and other nonproprietary programs > over Microsoft's Windows. > > Groups of Linux users have been organizing similar events in other Latin > American countries, including Argentina and Colombia, and the Venezuelan > government has signed on as a promoter. > > The technology ministry said the fair is part Venezuela's move toward > "technological sovereignty, and taking advantage of knowledge for > building national scientific independence." > > Chavez, a vehement critic of the capitalist system, issued a decree in > 2004 ordering all the country's public institutions to actively move > toward open-source alternatives, hoping to save millions of dollars. > > Government agencies have gradually been making the change. > > Chavez says previous governments spent more on licensing fees for > proprietary software than social programs to fight poverty. > > The Venezuelan government hasn't focused direct criticism on Microsoft, > but Chavez has regularly condemned "the hegemony of the multinationals" > - saying many big companies are to blame for putting profits above the > needs of poor people across Latin America. > > ====================== > -- > --------------------------------------------------------------- > "When the multitude detests a man, inquiry is necessary; when the > multitude likes a man, inquiry is equally necessary." > Confucius, Analects (circa 6th century BC) > > -- > The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG > Mail majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with "unsubscribe list" in the > message body to unsubscribe. FAQ: www.dcglug.org.uk/linux_adm/list-faq.html > -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG Mail majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with "unsubscribe list" in the message body to unsubscribe. FAQ: www.dcglug.org.uk/linux_adm/list-faq.html