01.27.10

Microsoft Hijacks More of Education Sector in Carolina, Michigan, and Georgia

Posted in Free/Libre Software, GNU/Linux, Microsoft, Office Suites, Red Hat, Windows at 11:02 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

Summary: Carolina, Michigan, and Georgia are the latest victims of a programme that Microsoft euphemistically calls “Elevate America” (this programme only retards education and subjugates the people)

THE PREVIOUS post was a depressing one to write because Microsoft may be poisoning its competitors with former employees, who in turn ensure that more Internet users are getting Microsoft’s ‘search’ results that are programmed to say negative things about Microsoft’s competition, notably GNU/Linux. Is there anything that Microsoft doesn’t poison? The company operates like some kind of a dangerous computing cult and the least we can do in Boycott Novell is raise awareness of the issues.

The Grameen Foundation is one of those former Microsofers-run, Microsoft-serving shells [1, 2] that is disguising itself as “open source” while promoting Microsoft’s agenda. From the news we gather:

Grameen Foundation announced the latest release of MIFOS, an open source software platform for microfinance.

That’s hilarious, especially given that the Grameen Foundation is some kind of an EDGI assistance. It is part of Microsoft's coalition of NGOs, all of which serve the queen.

Then there is the programme which we call “American EDGI” [1, 2]. It is a programme whereby Microsoft is attacking the adoption of Free software in the United States and then uses PR to characterise this attack on competition as “charity” or “donation”. Microsoft claims to “Elevate America”, which is the euphemistic banner it chose for this programme (outside the US it is called “Unlimited Potential”, although the *Spark programmes are increasingly marketed too).

In this post we’ll begin by showing some of the latest “American EDGI”, which can easily be identified by its characterisation with euphemisms.

Here is Nash Community College becoming a participant in indoctrination of the young [1, 2, 3, 4], which will become Microsoft engineers/clientèle in the future. We also wrote about Bill Gates working to control more education systems through lobbying and gentle bribes [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8].

Jan. 9–Nash Community College is participating in Elevate America — North Carolina.

But wait. It’s more than one college. Another new report from Carolina says that more than 40 community colleges are involved in this. They become agents of Microsoft rather than places of education.

More than 40 North Carolina community colleges are distributing thousands of vouchers for free Microsoft certification exams and advanced online courses over the next six weeks, thanks to a nationwide Microsoft initiative called “Elevate America.”

It is all happening near Red Hat's headquarters. Microsoft has no boundaries.

In Michigan too, Microsoft helps indoctrination of the nation:

Microsoft and the state of Michigan are teaming up to give free technology training.

“Training” means “Windows and Office training”. It is shocking that the state of Michigan participates in helping one of the most criminal corporations in the country.

What has Microsoft actually done for Michigan, other than mess up its airport's Web site with Windows viruses (that was 3 months ago)?

The “Elevate America” euphemism comes also to Georgia. Watch the press release that’s chock full of spin and lies.

Microsoft is using the economic meltdown to take advantage of people and the Governor’s Office is participating in it, essentially collaborating with a convicted monopolist that continues to be found guilty.

Microsoft will partner with the Governor’s Office of Workforce Development to distribute at least 25,900 vouchers during the next 90 days. They can be used for courses including basic technology literacy, intermediate and advanced level technology skills training and Microsoft certification exams.

More here and here. Microsoft is making money out of chaos (economic meltdown).

Gov. Sonny Perdue announced a partnership between the state and Microsoft that will provide free technology training for Georgians.

The company will work with the Governor’s Office of Workforce Development to distribute at least 25,900 vouchers for various classes and Microsoft Certification exams.

Shame on Sonny Perdue. Why associated oneself with that Redmond bunch?

Here is another new one (“Elevate America”): “Microsoft and state team up on free vouchers for tech training”

The application for the vouchers, part of Microsoft’s Elevate America program, can be obtained online at www.gaworkready.org. The vouchers will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis.

Microsoft has almost captured a dozen US states in this way. Someone needs to step in and stop this, knowing what Microsoft is really scheming here and how it affects competition.

“They’ll get sort of addicted, and then we’ll somehow figure out how to collect sometime in the next decade.”

–Bill Gates

What “skills” is Microsoft giving these people anyway? They are just being trained for use of tools from the very same company that would benefit from it. These are not even specialised skills (similar even to MCSE, which is rapidly declining in value based on surveys). They devalue it by stating with pride that even kids under 10 are turning into MCSEs. From this month’s news:

Meet Marko, the 9-year-old systems engineer

[...]

At age 6, he got his first systems administrator credential from Microsoft and, last month, he became perhaps the youngest Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer.

They use children to repair their broken software and a girl of the same age received the same certification about 2 years ago. This is comical at best. But sadly enough (in an insulting way), they treat adults in the same way and offer them the same type of certifications. █

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