On Fri, 2007-01-12 at 12:41 +0000, Phil Bull wrote: > On Fri, 2007-01-12 at 11:14 +0000, gord wrote: > > Snippet: > > "UK schools and colleges that have signed up to Microsoft Corp's > > academic licensing programs face the 'significant potential' of being > > locked in to the company's software, according to an interim review by > > the UK government agency responsible for technology in education. > > > > The British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta) > > report also states that most establishments surveyed do not believe that > > Microsoft's licensing agreements provide value for money, while a > > separate review has recommended against the deployment of Vista and > > Office 2007. > > > > Last week Becta signed a 12-month extension to its Memorandum of > > Understanding with Microsoft that enables schools to negotiate cheaper > > software deals, but many schools will not be taking advantage of it if > > they follow Becta's advice." > > > > ... > > > > "On the subject of promoting alternatives, Becta noted that the UK's > > Open Source Consortium would like to see Becta proactively promoting > > choice by adopting open source standards" and stated that it will > > "discuss with key stakeholders the practical steps it could take to > > facilitate wider competition in choice in relation to software licensing > > in schools." > > > > Earlier this week the OSC's president, Mark Taylor, criticized Becta for > > entering into the extension with Microsoft despite its own research > > indicating cheaper open source alternatives. "We'd like to congratulate > > Becta for getting a discount on their season ticket for the Titanic," he > > said." > > > > http://www.cbronline.com/article_news.asp?guid=BDD20D68-FDBF-4E1C-BA77-BBA4B7CA6061 > > > > > > Does anyone have any idea weather their is something we could do to help > > take advantage of this situation in favour of floss and ubuntu? > > Maybe we should write a letter to BECTA and tell them who we are, what > we offer and how we can help British schools. It would be interesting to > discuss their requirements and ways of providing information and support > to schools to help them move towards adopting open source. If Canonical > could get involved too, that would put more weight behind the whole > thing. > > In addition, we might like to co-operate with the Open Source > Consortium. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
I have been quite busy on the fight for free software for schools, and am publishing any developments on that front at http://tibsplace.co.uk/blog/index.php/category/free-software I don't really trust BECTA. They didn't reply to my completely serious e-mail, so I just assume they are been pressurised into preferring proprietary software. They could just have issued this statement to make us content. I will again write to them, but until I receive a reply, I have no idea why I should think they are trustworthy. -- Help me get to Venezuela! http://tibsplace.co.uk/venezuela -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
