Summary: Microsoft's state-sponsored or state-assisted domination of people's mindset expands to more US states, the counterfeit propaganda returns with more lawsuits (against people indoctrinated by states), and Microsoft suppresses Free software in Nepalese colleges

'American EDGI' is harming the minds of innocent people, slowly progressing like a flu, state by state (3 more this time). Last week we wrote about the state of New York very briefly (it had only just come up). Right now, however, more information about New York reveals the role played by Governor David A. Paterson, who lets Microsoft take control of his people with potential financial aid from the state [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8].

What a shameful situation. Microsoft uses state power to increase its monopoly power and even a state as prominent as New York falls for it, along with Massachusetts.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of New York recently announced plans to offer free technology training through Microsoft’s Elevate America program. Nearly 100,000 Microsoft online training and certification vouchers will be offered to unemployed residents of the two states, at no cost to the recipients. New York and Massachusetts join thirteen other states’ efforts to provide technology training.

In readmedia.com there is even more coverage, but here is the interesting thing. They have issued a "Media Advisory" as though they try to control what journalists are saying. To clarify, this is not a business transaction but an abuse of taxpayers' money by Microsoft. This is why we only ever complain about government contracts of this kind; if a private company wishes to engage with Microsoft, that's its own choice because corporations are tyrannical structures by nature; citizens and their states, however, are supposed to be a flattened representative structure where all are equal and elected officials fulfill the desires and interests of voters.

Moving on to Massachusetts, we recently wrote about a Boston museum (public property) becoming a victim of Microsoft. Boston (Massachusetts) is of course the home of the Free Software Foundation (FSF) and one of the historical venues that are incorporated into US history. Governor Deval Patrick does not honour the spirit of his country by allowing his citizens to be subjugated and indoctrinated by a convicted monopolist [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. This shameful new deal is covered by the "Elevate America" programme which we call "American EDGI" because of its true nature and intention.

Patrick and Microsoft Vice President of State and Local Government Gail Thomas Flynn made the announcement of the Elevate America partnership at the JobNet Career Center in Boston, one of 37 Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development jobs centers that will distribute the vouchers.

Some weeks ago we showed that Microsoft was doing the same thing in Michigan [1, 2, 3, 4] and here is new coverage about it.

Ottawa County Michigan Works has more than 1,000 free vouchers for individuals interested in receiving free online training on a range of Microsoft products. Interested individuals should call (616) 494-3407 or send an e-mail to elevateamerica@ocmwa.org to receive a voucher. All vouchers must be activated by April 11.

That's the end of this week. Microsoft is trying to entice people to become indoctrinated, thinking that they actually acquire skills by memorising user interfaces.

Thanks to Governor Jim Gibbons (who still enables Microsoft's Nevada tax dodge), the same programme comes to Nevada. He sells out.

Microsoft and the state of Nevada are joining in a free computer training program to help employed or displaced workers improve their skills.

More information can be found here and here.

Microsoft will give away nearly 7,000 vouchers for the computer training through the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation.

Microsoft is hijacking the system while pretending it's goodwill. It's state-sponsored Microsoft training and over a dozen states already participate in this. Watch this new press release:

XCourse leading the way for flexible Microsoft Excel training courses

[...]

But XCourse makes learning easy and flexible for you. You can try the different business and management courses they offer to help you progress in your career, or merely IT and Technical courses, MS Office training - including Microsoft Excel training - and courses related to Personal Life.

Here is Microsoft exploiting charities to promote its "IT skills training" (Microsoft Office indoctrination).

Software giant and charitable organisation aim to get young people back into work through IT skills training

[...]

According to Microsoft’s own research, 77 per cent of all jobs will require IT skills within the next five years.

When they speak about "training" and "skills" what they really mean is "Windows and Office" 'literacy'.

Watch what happens in Nepal right now:

Microsoft Corporation is equipping 10 colleges in Kathmandu to conduct all software courses designed and certified by it.

At the bottom of this post we add references (2007-2010) to show that Free software was actually gaining momentum in Nepal, especially in education. Microsoft is trying to put an end to that. There is something similar going on in south America (story on that coming soon). "Software courses" mean "Microsoft courses". Microsoft often disguises the purpose of this using words like "piracy" (overpricing in the market, then labeling all users "criminals" because they can't afford it). Criminalisation of young people is never justified. It is a tool of control.

“As long as they are going to steal it, we want them to steal ours.”

--Bill Gates

Based on other new observations, Microsoft uses "myths" as propaganda in the Web site where it currently "discusses the evils of ‘piracy’".

Number 1, Software piracy is a serious crime. According to Microsoft 'pirated' software makes money for other people, and in some cases, lots of money. Once again we are reminded that serious organised crime gangs, like we presume the Triads, eagerly await the next version of a Windows OS in much the same way they do the next shipment of dragon-chasing drugs and aphrodesiac Rhino horn powder.

Yes, more propaganda and a new pattern of deception. At the same time, based on this new report from Qatar (this is part of a trend in Qatar), Microsoft is legally attacking those who distribute Microsoft software.

Microsoft Gulf yesterday said that a criminal complaint which it had filed in Qatar led to an anti-piracy raid at a store in the country.

Later on we'll publish another post about Gates' agenda in education. Using the Gates Foundation he gradually takes over parts of the system. ⬆

"It's easier for our software to compete with Linux when there's piracy than when there's not."

--Bill Gates

Free software in Nepal:

[1] FOSS is rejected by CAN InfoTech Nepal

Every year, for the last couple of years, FOSS community Nepal has been getting a small stall to showcase whatever they have to the unusually large mass that come to witness the event. Not that FOSS is going anywhere in Nepal, but still that opportunity to try and create awareness existed. From this year onwards FOSS community is not going to be able to do that too as they have been told that due to lack of space they will not be able to put up a stall.

[2] Nepal's first FOSS Training and Research Center Opened

Nepal's first FOSS Training and Research Center is opened at Brihaspati Vidyasadan School (BVS) at Naxal, Kathmandu, Nepal. This Center has been made possible by the financial help from Help Nepal Network and BVS Alumni and technical help from FOSS Nepal, the community involved in spreading free and open source technologies in Nepal.

[3] Nepal pushes for FOSS adoption: Will the world follow?

On the fertile battlefield of open source vs. closed source, Nepal has signalled a change as free and open source software such as Linux has been adopted as a serious contender to commercial software, a la Microsoft.

Most people enjoy free things, the word is used by many a retailer to entice customers in to the shops - “buy one, get one free” and the like. However, free and open source software (FOSS) has struggled to make a serious impact when in the ring with commercial heavyweights like Microsoft, because there were so many pirated versions of Windows operating systems, they were cheap and often come free with hardware which making it difficult for FOSS to gain a foothold.

[4] FOSS: Price Is Zero, Value Is Priceless

The main factor working against the growth of open source software in Asia has been the ready availability of pirated versions of Microsoft's software. However, open source advocates are gaining traction in places such as Nepal, where Linux is growing in popularity.

[...]

FOSS alternatives exist for almost all commercial software, Pradhananga says. What is lacking is awareness, he says.

Now, Foss Nepal with MPP, Help Nepal Network and other cyberactivists are trying to change all that with public programs and recruitment of young software engineers into the movement.

[5] [GNU/Linux-based] OLPC Nepal Now

In it's conclusion the evaluation is positive: "The head teachers in both the schools consider the pilot program as very effective and see great promise in reducing the disparity between private and public schools." and "With this student-centered approach, students are interacting with each other more often. It has made students more curious and they are eager to learn new things. It has also helped in developing co-operative spirit as students are willing to help each other learn new technology."

[6] Software Freedom Day in Nepal

Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) Community of Nepal (FOSS-Nepal) observed the fifth international Software Freedom Day today. The day was celebrated by over 500 different volunteer groups in 120 countries.

[7] SFD08 Press Release II

Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) Community of Nepal (FOSS-Nepal) observed the fifth international Software Freedom Day today. The day was celebrated by over 500 different volunteer groups in 120 countries. The theme for this year's celebration of FOSS-Nepal was "Create, Share, Collaborate." Honourable Minister of Science and Technology, Ganesh Shah started the proceedings at Yala Maya Kendra in Patan, Kathmandu by unveiling a compilation of Free/Open Source Softwares in a CD named "Nirvikalpa." Honourable Minister also announced the launch of a web-portal named "Prasfutan." "Prasfutan" which means "blossoming" in English aims to provide a collaborative environment to a vast number of local talents in Nepal whose creativity has a reach only up to a limited audience comprising of their acquaintances. This is in sync with the theme of "Create, Share, Collaborate."

[8] Software Freedom Day to be marked

This is the third year that Nepal is celebrating Software Freedom Day (SFD).

[9] NepaLinux 2.0 Released

Madan Puraskar Pustakalaya released the localized Linux Distribution, NepaLinux 2.0 .

[10] Kids In Jiri Love XO [One Laptop per Child]!

All in all, the day was a huge success and another significant step in raising awareness of XO and just how valuable it can and will be to the children of Nepal!

[11] Founder of OpenContent at FKK Special

FOSS Ka Kura a.k.a FKK is a monthly open-discussion program organized by FOSS Nepal Community, where FOSSians can discuss about FOSS, FOSS applications, Localization, GNU/Linux, etc. The main objective of this program is to create public awareness about FOSS applications and developing a Free/Open Source Community in Nepal. The Free/Open Source Community could involve a wide range of people ranging from experts, enthusiasts, FOSS advocates and so on.

This program was formerly known as Linux Ka Kura and was organized by Madan Puraskar Pustakalaya (MPP).

[12] FOSS Essentials Training conducted in Nepal

The key objective was to create an awareness about FOSS among general computer users, promote the use of FOSS and to build a network of FOSS practitioners and trainers in Nepal.

FOSS Essentials Training 2007 was jointly organized by FOSS Nepal Community and the Center for International Cooperation for Computerization (CICC), Singapore. The event was supported by National Information Technology Center (NITC, Nepal), and Madan Puraskar Pustakalaya (MPP, Nepal).

[13] Nepalese NGO Releases Localised Open CD

After the release of two different versions of NepaLinux, a localized Linux Distribution in Nepali, the development of the Nepali OpenCD 1.0 is yet another attempt of Madan Puraskar pustakalaya for promoting the usage of localized Free and Open Source Software in the region.

[14] One hour with the XO laptop in a Nepali school

On Nov. 5th, 2009, during the first OLE Assembly in Kathmandu, I visited a class that uses the XO laptop in the Binayak Bal School of Badal Gaun, Nepal (several pictures available at the bottom of this page).