Those clever folks at Red Hat have come up with an alternative to the settlement that’s in play in the Microsoft class action cases. Making the argument that the settlement shouldn’t reinforce Microsoft’s monopoly by indoctrinating school children in the ways of Microsoft, they say they’ll provide the software and Microsoft can use the money that would go to software to buy hardware for more schools than originally planned. Quoth Red Hat CEO Matthew Szulik:

“While we applaud Microsoft for raising the idea of helping poorer schools as part of the penalty phase of their conviction for monopolistic practices, we do not think that the remedy should be a mechanism by which Microsoft can further extend its monopoly. Through this proposal all of the states and all of the schools can win, and Microsoft will achieve even greater success for its stated goal of helping schools. By providing schools with a software choice, Red Hat will enable Microsoft to provide many more computers to these schools. At the same time, the schools can accept this offer secure in the knowledge that they have not rewarded a monopolist by extending the monopoly. It’s now up to Microsoft to demonstrate that they are truly serious about helping our schools.”