[Bradford] Response to NonMS schools petition

[David Parkin]

Robert,
It's good to see someone as cynical as myself. Mind you, even I was surprised to see that M$ are allowed to levy a tax on every school computer. I see BECTA's emrace of open software as a negotiating tactic with M$ rather than a sudden conversion to the cause of open software.

David




________________________________
From: Robert Burrell Donkin <robertburrelldonkin at gmail.com>
To: bradford <bradford at mailman.lug.org..uk>
Sent: Monday, 28 September, 2009 17:29:41
Subject: Re: [Bradford] Response to NonMS schools petition

On Mon, Sep 28, 2009 at 9:55 AM, David Carpenter
<david.carpenter at nornir.co.uk> wrote:
> The response to the NonMS schools petition:
> http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/nonMSschools/
>
> Has been published:
>
> http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page20711
>
> Interesting, Becta doesn't come across badly in my opinion. The link
> from the response - while kind of not 100% on the mark makes interesting
> reading:
> http://news.becta.org.uk/display.cfm?resID=35287&CFID=3039363&CFTOKEN=a137e9f25b9bd7a6-039B1B27-E009-1FF0-287783710978C9D8
>
> What's quite clear is that they'd like to see the adoption of open
> document formats in schools. - AND there is a requirement to educate
> parents about free-to-use alternatives.
>
> Food for thought, fuel for action?

it's just the usual, good old fashion civil service lies. the URL is a
report on vista verses other forms of window.

it is interesting to note that the report states clearly that schools
pay microsoft a tithe for every linux computer they use. this is
primae facie abuse of their monopoly position. but of course, it's not
in the public interest for OFT to prosecute them.

all that matters in England is who you buy. we should have a whip
round and pay a couple of lords to get this all sorted out...

- robert

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