[Bradford] MIcrosoft and BECTA

[Robert Burrell Donkin]

On Fri, Feb 20, 2009 at 9:52 AM, Andy Coulson
<coulson.andy at googlemail.com> wrote:
> Morning All,
>
> A while back there was a thread going about Microsoft in Schools and
> It's relationship with BECTA.  I argued that whilst BECTA does not
> endorse Microsoft it certainly does not give equal billing to all OS
> families.  One thing I picked up whilst researching a college
> assignment was part of a speech by Jim Knight the Schools Minister at
> the Recent BETT trade Show  (Educational Technology):
>
> "I am delighted to hear from BECTA that Microsoft have now risen to
> this challenge, by creating a re-investment fund that they will commit
> to fund a foundation in support of the Home Access programme."
>
> Home Access is a scheme dedicated to increasing access to the internet
> in the home for school children, currently piloting in Oldham and
> Sussex.  Whilst this is all very philanthropic and will benefit
> children it is hardly supporting an open market and Microsofts
> "re-investment" fund will I'm sure reap them significant licensing
> income.  I am still firmly of the belief that Linux could offer a
> better return on our investment and the open source, community based
> approach seems to sit much better with the collaborative approach
> teachers have to developing materials for teaching and can capitalise
> on that.  If teachers collaborate anmd share materials why not on the
> tools too?

be careful with that argument :-)

conversely, allowing teachers to share materials will put an end to
the very lucrative business of publishing teaching materials

it's all just politics: a favour here, a favour there. a new monopoly
here, a new bureaucracy there. it's how government gets done here in
the UK in this new millenium.

leave the whole corrupt mess to those which enjoy it. FOSS is a
movement, not an organisation. even if if were ethical to do so, we
lack the centralised infrastructure required to buy the politicians
needed to forward the right agenda through the political arena.

use judo politics: the application of subtle, distributed force that
results in change without the knowledge or consent of those with the
overt power

with our words we change the world. keep explaining why freedom is
important. FOSS is out of fashion with the ruling Labour Party but is
supported by both opposition parties. the world turns, and - sooner or
later - they will govern. be ready when this happens: think about,
discuss and disseminate the right policies now.

- robert