Microsoft Tax

Here in QLD and in Australia the government pretty much pays a fixed amount per PC for various MS software. This is bad enough for all the Novell, Linux and other alternative PC based opertaing systems as well as Client Access Licences (like database servers).

However, the US Education department goes one better. They include Macs. Now Office is fine but you also pay for upgrades to the OS - the Microsoft OS that is. So you pay for software you either can't use as well as stuff you might not want to use.

Want more? The UK Campus agreement count licences based on the number of people employed.

The Register story has all the facts:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/25179.html