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Optimum Online Ultra has speeds up to 101Mbps, where gigabit hardware is not only recommended but required by Cablevision. I purchased this for the public library I consult with and we have an abundance of bandwidth now after dropping our crappy T1. In fact, I’ve got to upgrade some of the network hardware to keep up with the ISP connection. $120 per month for 55 computers is amazing!

Just curious if a WiFi public hotspot secured with WPA2, where everyone knows the WPA2 password, is still more secure than an unencrypted WiFi hotspot? I assume knowing the WPA2 password allows you to unencrypt the data but wondered if it was still inherently more secure regardless or if it’s a wash.

It seems that with his foundation, Bill Gates is changing his ways and Warren Buffett has something to do with that. Unfortunately, that hasn’t changed the well established patterns of behavior throughout M$.

“Changing his ways”? Bill and Melinda Gates setup the Foundation in December 1994. I guess he “[changed] his ways” almost 16 years ago. Warren Buffet didn’t pledge money to the Foundation until June 2006.

Once again, no facts to draw the proper conclusion.

If financially supporting global health and education and defeating poverty is what “greedy” billionaires do then I’m all for greed.

Exactly what “greed” are we talking about? Microsoft gives away SteadyState for free and offers public libraries software for free with a small administrative fee from TechSoup. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has been a huge financial supporter of the public libraries as well. Boy, I really wish people would get some facts before posting.
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So, if Bill and Melinda really love libraries and want to be generous, they could simply give them money, to spend as they wish.

I’m amazed by the lack of research before people post. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation does give money to libraries, both globally and within the United States, in the form of grants.

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/libraries/Pages/united-states-libraries.aspx#

““Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn.” ~Benjamin Franklin

Good

M$ greed will finally allow linux to be the public os.

Exactly what “greed” are we talking about? Microsoft gives away SteadyState for free and offers public libraries software for free with a small administrative fee from TechSoup. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has been a huge financial supporter of the public libraries as well. Boy, I really wish people would get some facts before posting.

Also, I find the headline extremely misleading and sensationalistic. Microsoft is not putting libraries at risk. If the public library is using Windows XP or Vista they’re fine. If they upgrade to Windows 7 without a lockdown solution that’s the fault of the library; not Microsoft. Library patrons like consistency. They are there to surf the Internet, check E-mail, or use Microsoft Office for the most part along with printing. If Windows 7 was suddenly introduced to the environment our staff, which is quite lean to begin with, doesn’t have the time for the flurry of questions that would ensue.

Our library has a Linux server with some Debian Linux thin clients. I’m migrating them to Windows. Whenever a user comes in with a Microsoft Office 2007 document and attempts to use it on OpenOffice the support goes up because there are formatting differences in conversion.

The link below shows that libraries have much more important things to worry about right now then moving from Windows XP to Windows 7 and not having a lockdown solution. They’re more concerned with actually existing at the moment.

http://www.savemynjlibrary.org/

I’m the IT Consultant for a public library in New Jersey. Although it’s disappointing to see Microsoft SteadyState, which I use on all of our Windows XP public workstations, not being upgraded I’d like to laud Microsoft for all they do for libraries (and non-profit organizations). Through their partnership with http://www.TechSoup.org libraries are able to get their software at 95% off retail or more. Windows 7 Enterprise Upgrade for a $9 admin fee or Office 2007 Professional for a $20 admin fee keeps the libraries humming along. These same savings go for server software, development software, etc.