If you download IE 8, Microsoft feeds someone for $0.14 |
While downloading Internet Explorer 8, users found the following message: “Only complete downloads of Windows Internet Explorer 8 through browserforthebetter.com from June 8, 2009 through August 8, 2009 qualify for the charitable donation to Feeding America. Microsoft is donating $1.15 per download to Feeding America up to a maximum of $1,000,000. Meals are used for illustrative purposes only. Meal conversion is effective until June 30th, 2010.”
When you do the math and split $1.15 among 8 users, it means $0.14 per meal. How is that feeding anyone?
Even worse than their math is the usual fact that these companies could be helping hungry people already. Why do we need IE8 to spur them into action? And then only $0.14?
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I think your math is off. How do you get to $0.14 per person if MS is donating $1.15 per complete download? 1-in-8 refers to the ratio of people in America that struggle with what the USDA terms “food insecurity” or the lack of food on a regular basis.
I do agree that companies could be doing the work without requiring us to do things, such as download IE8, which we are basically forced to do in a monthly update. MS is far from hurting, even in these financial times. They can afford to cough up $1 million just because they want to be generous, not because 1 million users downloaded IE8.
Jesse:
The image above states that the $1.15 per download is going to provide 8 meals. The image is a little small and hard to read, so I can see how it would be confusing.
I would applaud Microsoft, in this case. I think giving people an incentive to upgrade is required. Internet Explorer 6 still holds a very large percentage of internet users that is holding back the web as a whole. IE 7 is better, but not by much. IE8 is by far the closest Microsoft has produced to a decent browser. Upgrading helps everyone, including yourself. The fact is, people still won’t upgrade (for whatever reason). Microsoft is helping everyone by offering this incentive instead of just giving away money.
That being said, Feeding America is a scam. The $0.14 is equal to a single can of rejected or dented canned beans (literally). That’s a meal. Enjoy that.
On the other hand, someone like Meals on Wheels is giving their seniors a full meal for $7.
I’d vote for real food.