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| Toxic Trade News / 3 February 2007 |
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Microsoft Vista Ka Ek Vistar Kahani
'A Vistar Story of Microsoft's Vista'
by Xavier Dias, Prabhat Kabbar (India)
3 February 2007 – Microsoft Corporation has just had a global launch of Windows Vista in what is said to be one of the most expensive and glamorous advertisement campaign in history. The news and the photographs supplied in their press kit are on the front pages of almost all newspapers in the world. Even though Bill Gates is credited for bringing about a ‘revolution’ in IT the fact is that from 1985 to 1995 Microsoft Corporation was running piggy back on MS DOS and the Windows technology was an idea copied from MACINTOSH computer. It was millions of dollars spent on a publicity that actually created an atmosphere giving Microsoft the lead to become the market leader. Each time Microsoft launched a new version of its operating system its publicity campaign went for a kill creating a larger than true image of its products. Using the latest version of its products became a fashion among computers owners. What few realised is that each time Microsoft came up with a new version of Windows we had to upgrade our hardware. We needed faster processors, megabytes of RAM memory and gigabytes of hard disk space, new printers etc.
In 1995 when Microsoft released its Windows 95 it was said that if Bill Gates were to manufacture cars, each time he launches a new series we would have to change the kind of roads. Bill Gates might feel proud of this joke, but for us Indians and especially Jharkhandis who know the difference between not having a road and having a pot holed one this is not a joke but a cruel trick played on us people of the third world.
When computers came to India many learned people were against it. They thought that we have an option to say no. IT has since entered into all aspects of social and economic activity that it is impossible to ignore. If we have to be in this rat race then we do not have any other option. We may understand fully the politics of IT technology and how it has become another instrument of exploitation but if we deny it then we will have to take sanyas. Credit Cards, PAN cards, voter ID cards, cell phones, etc., are all computer driven. We may take sanyas but our children will loose any opportunity to be someone in tomorrow’s world. Our children have to compete with the rich people’s children who are introduced to computers at the age of 3. It is a technology that is forced on to us and therefore our only option. If we understand this then those who are against the technology should also see the opportunity it offers. It is true that it is a tool to further exploitation and strengthens the hand of the ruling class. But it is also true that IT’s Internet, email, etc., besides job opportunities has the potential to be a tool with which we can expose the designs of the ruling classes as well as help to change the power equations in society.
In the rich countries when new software comes to the market millions of people purchase it. For it they need new hardware and all their old hardware becomes waste. It is not just the computer, but the monitor, the printer, the modem, fax, photocopier, ATM machines etc., have to be discarded creating mountains of waste. There the law requires you to go to a ‘waste market’ and pay them to dispose of your waste. The environment laws in these countries are so strict that the company running these ‘waste markets’ cannot afford the labour cost involved to recycle this waste. So they export it to poor countries. According to the US based toxic trade watchdog Basel Action Network BAN, Vista will create a tsunami of toxic waste in the developing countries that are already the dustbins for their abandoned ships and industrial waste.
Another aspect of new software is it increases the division between us in the third world and them in the first world. For it is not only a question between having a computer and not having one but those between the latest technology and those without. Besides increasing the possibility that those not having one, may never have one in time to compete in global competition.
According to BAN, from this waste 50% is exported whole or assembled and since their life span is almost over they add on our existing waste. Since we are not informed of the toxic metals and chemicals used, our labourers and their children who work in these waste dumping sites risk major health problems. It’s a toxic time bomb that Bill Gate's media blitz does not talk about.
FAIR USE NOTICE. This document contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. The Basel Action Network is making this article available in our efforts to advance understanding of ecological sustainability and environmental justice issues. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
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