[Gllug] open source centric ICT in Schools from Sept 2012 ?

[Karanbir Singh]

On 01/12/2012 07:38 PM, Bernard Peek wrote:
> The BCS is putting together a few people to look at the situation and
> there's going to be at least one open-source enthusiast involved. If
> Microsoft want to compete they will have to provide software at less
> than zero cost and with much better support than they give commercial
> customers.

But its important that the idea of open-source not get muddled in with
'free software'; If a starting block consideration is cost of
acquisition, open-source has already lost out since in many cases
getting open-source up and running takes a lot more resources than some
of the other more commodity based systems and environments. Ofcourse,
this changes dramatically when one looks at the overall platform + apps
+ training + actual deliverables and value accrued.[1]

Imho, if the primary consideration deviates from the idea of overall and
long term value that these 'environments(?) or systems(?)' are going to
provide, its all just a waste of time.

- KB

[1] one of the reasons I have now developed mixed feelings about the
raspberry_pi project is just this : they are touting it as a fantastic
open platform, which isn't going to be completely open source ( bcm
doing binary blobs etc ).


-- 
Karanbir Singh
+44-207-0999389 | http://www.karan.org/ | twitter.com/kbsingh
ICQ: 2522219    | Yahoo IM: z00dax      | Gtalk: z00dax
GnuPG Key : http://www.karan.org/publickey.asc
--
Gllug mailing list  -  Gllug at gllug.org.uk
http://lists.gllug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/gllug