MJR writes:
Seeing as you have to make changes, you could even try changing ISP away from that BT Yahoo. UKFSN.org and thephone.coop will both put the money they make from you to better use, in my opinion.
Has anyone set up a Phone Co-Op affinity scheme to raise money for UK FSF? If not, would there be some mileage in doing so?
Essentially doing so would mean that anyone signing up to route calls/internet through them (similar to signing up with the likes of Tesco) would raise 6% of their callspend (and/or ADSL line rental) for the FSF. Not worth it unless there's some interest, of-course, but a good idea if there is?
I can set this up if anyone is interested, if nobody has already done so.
I'd be particularly interested in doing this as I've had several conversations with the guys at TPC and they're good people but don't have a clue about Free Software - they're very Microsoft centric in ways that could easily be changed (ie heavy but not complicated dependence on Word/Excel). Their ethics point very much towards Free Software being a much better fit, and it may also be the case that many of their customers would think similarly if it were pointed out to them. They do send semi-regular newsletters to their customers and a conversion to (say) OOo would be every bit as newsworthy as what they currently say.
Declared interest: I'm a Phone Coop agent, so would also gain a small revenue from signing up an affinity partner; if it ever amounted to anything I can make sure it also goes to a good home though. If it's just pence that might be the coffee fund for PLUG meetings :-), but otherwise it can go the same way as the main 6%.
[MJR: Sorry if you get two copies of this - the first went with my work email not my list subscribed email address, so will have bounced at ALUG's servers.]
Mark Rogers, More Solutions Ltd :: Tel: 0845 45 89 555