Summary: Microsoft is dumping Windows on all Russian schools in order to hinder the nationwide migration to GNU/Linux, which it has already attempted to derail several times before

Microsoft uses EDGI to derail another migration to GNU/Linux. The company has no shame and it also continues to show its anti-competitive nature.

Russian schools were prepared to move to GNU/Linux and the decision was final. However, for quite some time now Microsoft has been actively interfering with the migration while in other parts (especially the business sector) Microsoft has abused its position and fell under investigation by the antimonopoly service. For some background on these issues, see the following posts:

• Is Microsoft Paying Russia to Take Schools off GNU/Linux and Halt Antitrust Action?
• Russia Continues Migration to GNU/Linux in Government, Microsoft Creates New Prevention Measures
• How Microsoft Sabotages GNU/Linux Adoption in Russian Schools
• Russia to Microsoft: Stop Forcing People to Buy Windows
• Russia's Antimonopoly Service Targets ASUS, Toshiba, H-P, Samsung and Dell for Potentially Colluding with Microsoft
• The United States and Russia Take Extra Steps Against Microsoft's Monopoly Abuse
• Microsoft Antitrust in Europe, Russia, South Korea
• Microsoft Hits Russia Harder with Anti-Linux
• Off Topic: Microsoft Crime/Dirty Tricks Watch (Updated)
• OOXML Vote in Russia Overwhelmed by Scale and Pressure (Updated)
• Novell, Stay Out of Russia With Your Microsoft Software Patents Scam (Updated)

It should not be surprising that, according to this report (translation), Microsoft is now dumping Vista 7 on all schools. This is directly related to their migration to GNU/Linux.

Microsoft announces the beginning of mailing the latest operating system Windows 7 at the school in Russia.

What Microsoft does here is selective dumping anywhere they see competition appearing. This is monopoly abuse and introducing children to a DRM-infected operating systems is just a travesty. The schools need to reject it as it's not about short-term costs; it's about education and about the freedom of students. Something similar happens in another country and we will report on that soon. Microsoft insists on controlling teachers and students as means of indoctrination for monoculture. ⬆