"[Other] senators took issue with a 1998 Microsoft deal that offered professors $200 if they mentioned -- or used -- Microsoft programming tools in a scholarly presentation." One of the arguments that keeps coming up in conversations like this is : Well, how else are we supposed to pay for education? It's called taxation, folks. Of the people, by the people, for the people. The practice may be broken, for sure, but I would argue the premise remains sound.