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Of course any computers returned could be then pass onto needy causes, e.g people who can't afford a computer, this would create jobs as morepeople required to test these systems for safety, and ship them out to needy causes. Laptops are very useful, esp when travelling. :) Paul Neil Williams wrote: > On 03/11/06 19:34:00, Rob Beard wrote: > >> One of the places I used to work - The John Innes Centre >> (www.jic.bbrsc.ac.uk) they were using DEC Alpha boxes when I started >> but as Linux gained market share they saw the benefits of moving >> over to Linux (RedHat 7, 8 and 9 at the time). I wouldn't be >> surprised if the majority of the Alpha boxes have been replaced with >> Intel/AMD based workstations. > > > Debian retains support for Alpha. If there are boxes going spare, > they would make great GNU/Linux machines. > > GNU/Linux: the ultimate in eco-friendly computing! > > There are free software tasks out there to suit ANY computing device > - from an iPAQ to a mainframe, from a mobile phone to a cluster. > > Great Idea #2: *TAX* microsoft for requiring the replacement of > perfectly usable hardware each time they release a new version of > Windows. A *green* tax, levied according to the true cost of > environmentally safe disposal of *all* machines below the minimum > installation specification for that class of machine. Tax would be > levied against the vendor of the machine, increasing the cost > disparity between a Windows PC and a free software PC to the point > that pre-installed free software becomes an economic necessity for > all vendors. Customers would return their old machines to the vendor > at no cost (to discourage fly-tipping) after purchase of the new > machine. Vendors would be forced into negotiating the costs of the > tax with MS and the availability of non-Windows sales would > strengthen their negotiating position, not weaken it as now. That > could dramatically impact on laptop sales where safe disposal if > notoriously expensive. Polluter pays. > ;-) > -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/linux_adm/list-faq.html