[ale] [Semi-OT] Re: More reasons to adore Microsoft

[Lightner, Jeff]

Actually it might have some impact if the broader media carried the
story about use of child labor and left out the rest of the cruft I saw.
Corporate reputations are important in America and Eruope and even if
Companies initially try to justify actions as "common business practice"
they often enough back off pretty quickly due to public opinion even if
they don't admit that was a main driver in reversing themselves.
(Google used the excuse of Chinese hacking for their backout from China
but that was proceeded by a lot of bad will in Geekdom over their
acquiescence to China's intrusive internet laws.)

Kathy Lee Gifford had a very hard time when similar allegations were
made against her clothing line.   Sure M$ isn't as closely tied to
general consumer mood but they do have to pay some attention to public
opinion.

-----Original Message-----
From: ale-bounces at ale.org [mailto:ale-bounces at ale.org] On Behalf Of
Michael Trausch
Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2010 11:32 AM
To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts - Yes! We run Linux!
Subject: [ale] [Semi-OT] Re: More reasons to adore Microsoft

On Thu, 2010-04-15 at 11:17 -0400, Jim Kinney wrote:
> My point in the post was not to discuss the labor laws (or total lack)
> in China, but that Microsoft (and the list of others in the article)
> have profited handsomely from business actions that most of us as
> parents would object strenuously to.  

I think the biggest impact that it will have is none.  That said, as my
newly-added signature indicates, I'm hopeful that that isn't the case.

But most people don't really care.  They'll buy clothing, furniture,
cars, computers, and general other stuff regardless of the conditions
that the aforementioned items were made in.  Most people perceive
Microsoft software as being necessary for business (my clients do, too,
despite my efforts to convince them otherwise) and therefore, they'll
justify the purchase and use of the software as a necessary evil of the
world.  That turns the children into something like martyrs, and makes
it all better, I guess.

It's disgusting, IMHO.

	--- Mike

-- 
Even if their crude and anticompetitive business practices don't make
you think about using their software, their use of sweatshops and child
labor should:  boycott Microsoft like you would any other amoral child
abuser:  http://is.gd/btW8m


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