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

[Christopher Currie]

On Tuesday 17 January 2012 22:16:6:52 +0000 Nix <nix at esperi.org.uk> wrote
Subject: Re: [Gllug] open source centric ICT in Schools from Sept 2012
        ?

>On 11 Jan 2012, John Hea>rns said:

> 
> > Karanbir,
> > there was a very perceptive article in the Guardian yesterday on the
> > same subject.
> > http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/jan/09/computer-science-courses-
> > digital-skills
> 

For general programming skills (as opposed to games) wouldn't a better 
grounding in modern or classical languages (taught at least partly in the old 
fashioned way, with formal grammar and syntax, and some prose composition) be 
more effective?

It would also help with a lot of other things, perhaaps even with learning to 
sell British products abroad.

But why are they advocating teaching open source in schools? Is it a cunning 
plot against foreigners, who are supposed to use only M$ software to get into 
the country? See http://lifeintheuktest.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/:

"This site has been designed to work best with Windows and Microsoft Internet 
Explorer version 5.0 or above. If you are using an older browser (version 4.0 
or below), we recommend you download the latest verion of Microsoft Internet 
Explorer [html link deleted]. You may experience difficulty viewing the 
'Prepare for the test' section of this website if you are using other browsers 
or operating systems."

(Your first lesson about life in the UK is that it's a foreign corporate 
colony...)

Christopher
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