Microsoft May U-Turn On Gay Rights -

[cyberpj]

Microsoft may u turn on gay rights

Gates go against the wrath of the fundamentalists

By Nick Farrell:
Wednesday 27 April 2005, 06:39

MICROSOFT chairman Bill Gates is rethinking his company’s decision about withdrawing support for state legislation that would ban discrimination against gays and lesbians.
The software company pulled out of supporting the legislation, although sent two of its employees along to advocate the change in the law.

A local preacher told the press that it was all his doing. The Reverend Ken Hutcherson of Antioch Bible Church in Redmond threatened to organise a national boycott of Microsoft products if it continued to support the bill.

As a result many gay and lesbian groups felt that Microsoft had betrayed them under church pressure.

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=22834

[Atman]

1. Fundies won't boycott Windows

Apple is a hippie liberal gay-loving California hippie company. Plus, fundies are sheep, and will follow the crowd. They'd never do something as radical as switching OS's. Never.

Any backlash against MS would not come from the fundie crowd, it would be from the MAINSTREAM who use Windows. Gates didn't get to be the richest man in the world by being the dumbest.

[Jo March]

2. ROFL!

"Apple is a hippie liberal gay-loving California hippie company."

:rofl:

I can see the Fristians saying that now!!

:rofl: :rofl:

[Pirate Smile]

3. So is this a direct result of their hiring Ralph Reed? It sure looks

like it.

[Strawman]

4. Fundie boycott of Microsoft... I'd like to see that

Maybe when the Video Professor ("Would you please try my product"...you've seen the comercials) makes a CD on how to use Linux for them.

[DBoon]

6. I see a new distro coming - "Rapture Linux"

They'd rename lots of the Linux features. Instead of services being provided by "daemons", they'd be provided by "angels"

[alcibiades_mystery]

9. ROFLMAO

Rapture Linux! Awesome.

Confess early and often!

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

13. HAH! And the e-mail program "Evolution" would be renamed "Creation"!

"sendmail" could only be used to send mail to women. To send mail to men, you'd have to use "sendfemale".

"Apache" would become "Pilgrim."

What else?

[DBoon]

18. chmod 666 would not be allowed!

They had something on Slashdot about this a while back. Can't seem to find it.

[AmyDeLune]

23. How about these?

Got these in an e-mail awile back :D.

In keeping with the spirit of the "Screen Savior", this brings one to wonder how word processor messages would differ if written by adherents to some different Christian denominations, especially the message seen when quitting before saving work.

Non-sectarian: Do you wish to Save your work?

Roman Catholic: Registry indicates user is Female; only Males are able to Save.

Anglican: Your work may or may not be Saved.

Lutheran: If you don't follow the instruction manual, don't expect
your work to be Saved.

Mennonite: Document contains the word "dancing"; it cannot be Saved.

JWs: You are user #144,001; your work cannot be Saved.

Mormon: Could we interest you in Saving your work?

Millenarian: It is almost too late to Save your work.

S. Baptist: If your work was not Saved, it is because you are evil.

TV Preacher: This program has made mistakes in the past, but it
will try to Save this file.

Born-again: Before Saving your work, this program will erase all
existing data; Proceed?

Faith healers: If you believe your work will be Saved, it will be Saved.

After that, it all kind of blurs...

[apnu]

12. "I'd buy that for a dollar!"

(bonus: name that movie)

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

14. The Running Man (nt)

[apnu]

17. nope -- Robocop. Its the TV catch phrase you hear everywhere ...

... taken totally out of context and a brilliant bit of paradoy IMO.

[The Animator]

5. Damn, I've always hated Bill Gates, well ever since Win95...

But if he's going to be standing up to the fundies, well it almost makes me wanna go by an x-box.

[DBoon]

7. Yeah, I almost want to get a *licensed* version of Windows XP

almost...

[cyberpj]

8. NYTimes - Microsoft Weighs Reversal on Gay Rights, Gates Says

Microsoft Weighs Reversal on Gay Rights, Gates Says
By SARAH KERSHAW

Published: April 27, 2005


EATTLE, April 26 - Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, has indicated he may reconsider his company's decision not to support a Washington State gay rights bill amid the growing firestorm inside and outside the company that exploded after the recent disclosure that Microsoft had changed its position on the bill.


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/27/national/27microsoft.html?ex=1272254400&en=43a76ddd1158cb47&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

[mondo joe]

11. Well it's a little fucking late NOW isn't it?

And I MAY recoinsider my transition to Mac.

[LisaM]

15. No, they bring up that bill (Washington State)

every year. It's been going on for something like 25 years and this is the first time it's had even a decent chance of passing. It came close, and Microsoft apparently tipped the scales.

[GOPBasher]

10. Awesome! I hope they do! n/t

[Ilsa]

16. I would hope that if I ever became as rich as Bill Gates, that

I'd do the right thing, no matter how much it cost me in lost revenues. Gates is wrong to yank Microsoft's benefits for GL employees. I guess I over-estimated his integrity.

[ladeuxiemevoiture]

19. Too late, Microsoft.

You had your chance, and you blew it. No more Microsoft for me, if I have anything to say about it (considering MS is a monopoly, not much say, but still)

[dArKeR]

20. Microsoft Criticized for Gay Rights Stance

Microsoft Corp., one of the earliest companies to extend benefits to gay employees, now finds itself in the crosshairs of angry activists for rescinding support for gay rights legislation in its home state.

Critics say the world's No. 1 software maker caved to pressure from an NFL linebacker-turned-local pastor who had threatened to launch a nationwide boycott, and tried to tiptoe away from a bill it had previously supported.

Last week, the measure failed in Washington state's Senate by a single vote.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050427/ap_on_bi_ge/microsoft_gay_rights

Contact dirty Microscum and then go buy an Apple!
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.asp

[Unions]

21. Boycott? Who cares

Most of the fundies probably pirate their software.

[nodehopper]

22. is it just me or is that first sentence written really poorly?

I had to read it three times before I understood what they meant.