linux in the hansard

[John Griffiths]

thought you might find this one interesting (not just for linux mention,

from the senate questions on notice (p2140):

Telstra: Satellite Technology
(Question No. 332)
Senator Cook asked the Minister for Communications, Information Technology
and the Arts, upon notice,
on 16 May 2002:
With reference to Telstra’s announcement offering satellite technology to
remote communities:
(1) How many stations and/or pastoralists in Western Australia have taken
up the Telstra offer.
(2) How many remote Aboriginal communities in Western Australia have taken
up the Telstra offer.
(3) How many customers have not been able to take up the offer as they are
utilising Apple MacIntosh technology, with
which this equipment is not compatible.
Senator Alston—The answer to the honourable senator’s question, based on
advice from Telstra, is as fol-lows:
(1) Whilst Telstra is aware that stations and pastoralists have taken up
Telstra’s 2-way Satellite Internet Service offer
under the Agreement for the provision of untimed local calls, untimed
Internet access and other carrier services to
Extended Zones, Telstra’s records do not capture these specific customer
details.
(2) Whilst Telstra does not record this specific information, Telstra
estimates that some 35 Indigenous communities in
Western Australia have taken up Telstra’s 2-way Satellite Internet Service
offer. The customer base would include
individuals, arts councils, schools, churches, businesses, medical staff
and community councils.
(3) In order to be eligible for the 2-way Satellite Internet Service,
customers require a PC subject to a defined set of
minimum specifications. These specifications are outlined in the customer
offer. Telstra does not collate statistics on
the number of customers who may require the service but do not meet the
minimum PC standards, including those
customers who may have an Apple MacIntosh computer. This would equally
apply to customers with computers us-ing
other operating systems such as DOS, earlier Windows versions, Linux or
BeOS.