You are in a sad situation, but it is good to see that you've put your ow=
n=20
livelihood over access to a few proprietary apps.  And you show morals by=
 not=20
saying something along the lines of resorting to bootlegging.  At least y=
ou=20
have broadband and a computer.  You're probably doing much better than ma=
ny=20
in similar predicaments.

And while it's admirable that you want to support Mandrake, I don't think=
=20
they'd feel right to be taking the money of someone so much more in need =
of=20
it.  Mandrake will survive this and continue to grow.  Once their through=
=20
dealing with the fiasco of that online education crap the prior managemen=
t=20
dragged them into, they're likely to become quite profitable.

On Friday 31 January 2003 12:31 am, technomage wrote:
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
>
> tell you what...
> can you try to see it from my perspective here?
>
> lets see:
> I get $572 a month in disability.
> from that, I remove $300.00 in rent leaving me with $272.00
> ok, now I have to pay out my internet costs ($55.00). that leaves me wi=
th
> $217.00.
> ok, now from this amount, I remove the costs I have for food (roughly
> $150.00 a month for good food, not that junk stuff). so far, I have abo=
ut
> $67.00 left. I remove $20.00 from that for my health insurance (you can
> thank medicare for not allowing an increase, which means I am now saddl=
ed
> with that amount I didn't have to pay before). this leaves me with $47.=
00
> each month. how am I supposed to pay even the lowest base membership wi=
th
> mandrake on this?
>
> you know what that $47.00 is for me? thats either some new clothes, new
> shoes, transportation expenses (it costs to ride the bus or take
> dial-a-ride). after everything gets said and done, I'm lucky I even hav=
e
> enough left by the end of the month to even enjoy a movie (not that oft=
en).
>
> pile on all of this the fact that I have been trying to find work for m=
ore
> than 3 years in the IT sector and have had no luck, period. So, pardon =
if I
> sound a bit frustrated.
>
> in any case, I am one of the "lower class" people you hear about. can't=
 get
> work, can't get off disability and can't even afford to live (but I sti=
ll
> try).
>
> Technomage
>
> On Thursday 30 January 2003 10:13 pm, you wrote:
> > If they allowed joining for a month or three, you could download thos=
e
> > commercial apps they've shelled out the fees for and they'd take a lo=
ss
> > on it.  A year's silver membership covers the majority of the commerc=
ial
> > apps you're likely to download.  StarOffice alone eats up over $70 of=
 the
> > $120, leaving them with less than a standard member's dues for the ye=
ar
> > ($60). I'm sure they get some high volume deal from Sun, but it still
> > eats into the $120 you pay for silver.
> >
> > On Wednesday 29 January 2003 05:44 pm, technomage wrote:
> > > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> > > Hash: SHA1
> > >
> > > tat isn't my point..
> > >
> > > I'd like to have an "affordable" solution to getting apps that aren=
't
> > > included on the standard downloads edition. I wouldn't mind paying =
out
> > > $20 or $30 for a short term subscription (like 2 or 3 months) but t=
o
> > > have to pay for a year at $200+?
> > >
> > > if they made it a bit less price intensive, or offered short
> > > subscription terms, they wouldn't be having such a problem with the=
ir
> > > club as it is..
> > >
> > > Technomage
> > >
> > > On Wednesday 29 January 2003 05:26 pm, you wrote:
> > > > On Wednesday 29 January 2003 05:12 pm, technomage wrote:
> > > > > I don't have a problem with their club per se. its the prices t=
hey
> > > > > charge for it that I have a concern with... I don't have that k=
ind
> > > > > of cash to be paying out at once for a year subscription!
> > > >
> > > > Then don't. Nobody forces you to join their club.
> > > >
> > > > I do have the cash, so I don't have a problem with it.
> > >
> > > - --
> > > I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, =
or
> > > numbered!
> > > My life is my own - No. 6
> > > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
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> > >
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> > > J45L1GskoyIFBqYGhCDb4rw=3D
> > > =3Dh3cQ
> > > -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
> > > ---------------------------------------------------
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> > > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change  you mail settings:
> > > http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
>
> - --
> I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or
> numbered!
> My life is my own - No. 6
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
> Version: GnuPG v1.0.6 (GNU/Linux)
> Comment: For info see http://www.gnupg.org
>
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> yZN0DEjlglEAW7tINJnCWYM=3D
> =3DJbzk
> -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
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--=20
Digital Wokan, Tribal Mage of the Electronics Age

Evil is that which one believes of others.  It is a sin to believe evil
of others, but it is seldom a mistake.
=09=09-- H.L. Mencken