[vox] [fwd] one more reason to switch [Linux prevents e-waste; CNN article]

[Bill Kendrick]

Seen on Schoolforge's mailing list:

----- Forwarded message from Yishay Mor -----

Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2007 10:58:13 +0000
From: "Yishay Mor"
Subject: [school-discuss] one more reason to switch

Apologies if this has been reported previously:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/12/03/eco.myth.ewaste/index.html

*(CNN)* -- True or False: Switching from a Windows-operated computer to a
Linux-operated one could slash computer-generated e-waste levels by 50%.

The answer is: TRUE

A UK government study in late 2004 reported that there were substantial
green benefits to running a Linux open source operating system (OS) on
computers instead of the ubiquitous Windows OS, owned by Microsoft. The main
problem with Windows users was that they had to change their computer twice
as many times as Linux users, on average, thereby effectively creating twice
as much computer-generated e-waste.

The report, titled, "Office of Government Commerce: Open Source Software
Trials in Government - Final Report" reported the following:

"There are also potential Green Agenda benefits, through reducing the energy
and resources consumed in manufacturing replacement equipment, and reducing
landfill requirements and costs arising from disposal of redundant
equipment.

"Industry observers quote a typical hardware refresh period for Microsoft
Windows systems as 3-4 years; a major UK manufacturing organisation quotes
its hardware refresh period for Linux systems as 6-8 years."
(Source: EcoGeek; California Environmental Protection Agency)

-- 
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  Yishay Mor, Researcher, London Knowledge Lab
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----- End forwarded message -----

-- 
-bill!
bill at newbreedsoftware.com
http://www.newbreedsoftware.com/