With the summer break approaching, anyone think a day together somewhere would be useful? I think I can get us accomodation for the day at my school 'cos there'll only be me, the admin officer and, perhaps, one site-staff member in the place most of the holiday. I could set up an empty server and loads'a ports if anyone was after a practical "workshop" kind of thing. We have a reasonable hostelry (expensive food, though) an easy stroll away and I can use the minibus to meet trains at the local station, which is easily accessible from East Croydon (southern edge of London). We're in Warlingham, Surrey which is the north-east corner of the county. -- Best wishes, Derek Harding hardingd@warlingham.surrey.sch.uk derek@lagham.zetnet.co.uk
That's a very interesting suggestion. Warlingham would be good for me and it would be good to meet some people who I only know through email ... On Wed, 5 Jul 2000, Derek Harding wrote:
With the summer break approaching, anyone think a day together somewhere would be useful? I think I can get us accomodation for the day at my school 'cos there'll only be me, the admin officer and, perhaps, one site-staff member in the place most of the holiday. I could set up an empty server and loads'a ports if anyone was after a practical "workshop" kind of thing. We have a reasonable hostelry (expensive food, though) an easy stroll away and I can use the minibus to meet trains at the local station, which is easily accessible from East Croydon (southern edge of London). We're in Warlingham, Surrey which is the north-east corner of the county.
-- Roger Whittaker SuSE Linux Ltd The Kinetic Centre Theobald Street Borehamwood Herts WD6 4PJ ---------------------- 020 8387 1482 ---------------------- roger@suse-linux.co.uk ----------------------
Roger Whittaker did scribe on Thu, 06 Jul 2000,: Count me in too please. When? Paul Hornshaw
That's a very interesting suggestion. Warlingham would be good for me and it would be good to meet some people who I only know through email ...
On Wed, 5 Jul 2000, Derek Harding wrote:
With the summer break approaching, anyone think a day together somewhere would be useful? I think I can get us accomodation for the day at my school 'cos there'll only be me, the admin officer and, perhaps, one site-staff member in the place most of the holiday. I could set up an empty server and loads'a ports if anyone was after a practical "workshop" kind of thing. We have a reasonable hostelry (expensive food, though) an easy stroll away and I can use the minibus to meet trains at the local station, which is easily accessible from East Croydon (southern edge of London). We're in Warlingham, Surrey which is the north-east corner of the county.
-- Roger Whittaker SuSE Linux Ltd The Kinetic Centre Theobald Street Borehamwood Herts WD6 4PJ ---------------------- 020 8387 1482 ---------------------- roger@suse-linux.co.uk ---------------------- -- Just my thoughts; they cost nothing to produce so cost nothing to discard.
paul
hi all (and Derek) Great idea :-) would be very interested in a practical Linux session, setting up servers, and moving towards configuring a standard Linux desktop. This model is used with great success in Portland, Oregon amoungst the school community obviously Becta cant side with a single distribution, but we do have a 'pragmatic' approach to Linux and Open Source and its potential if you are looking for a central UK venue (as an alternative), we could host some sort of practical workshop here in Coventry, but we would like to attend anywhere Malcolm On Wed, 05 Jul 2000, Derek Harding wrote:
With the summer break approaching, anyone think a day together somewhere would be useful? I think I can get us accomodation for the day at my school 'cos there'll only be me, the admin officer and, perhaps, one site-staff member in the place most of the holiday. I could set up an empty server and loads'a ports if anyone was after a practical "workshop" kind of thing. We have a reasonable hostelry (expensive food, though) an easy stroll away and I can use the minibus to meet trains at the local station, which is easily accessible from East Croydon (southern edge of London). We're in Warlingham, Surrey which is the north-east corner of the county. -- Best wishes, Derek Harding hardingd@warlingham.surrey.sch.uk derek@lagham.zetnet.co.uk --
Dr Malcolm Herbert Head of Technology R&D Becta, Science Park, Coventry CV4 7JJ Tel: 02476 847126 Fax: 02476 847120 -------------------------------------- "To err is human, but to really foul things up you need a computer" Farmers Weekly, 1977
I too would be interested in a get together. Warlingham or Coventry would be fine. Could Malcolm let us know what's happening about the OSE conference in Coventry, scheduled for 25/7 - I haven't had any details through. Miles Berry Head of Maths and IT, Christ Church Cathedral School, Oxford. http://www.cccs.org.uk/ Deputy Head (designate), St Ives School, Haslemere. http://www.st-ives.surrey.sch.uk/
Miles Berry [mailto:mberry@cccs.oxon.sch.uk] wrote:
I too would be interested in a get together. Warlingham or Coventry would be fine.
Coventry would be ideal for us :)
Could Malcolm let us know what's happening about the OSE conference in Coventry, scheduled for 25/7 - I haven't had any details through.
OSE conference? -- Glenn Cameron - ICT Admin, King Henry VIII School Warwick Road, Coventry CV3 6AQ Mobile: 07949 093291 Tel: 024 7667 3442 (262) Fax: 024 7667 7456 Web: http://www.khviii.com/ ICQ#: 3303890
Miles Berry [mailto:mberry@cccs.oxon.sch.uk] wrote:
Could Malcolm let us know what's happening about the OSE conference in Coventry, scheduled for 25/7 - I haven't had any details through.
OSE conference?
There has been little sign of life on the OSE website for some time.
hi all the Open Source for Education (OSE) website and conference have been set up run by Becta as a tool for investigating the potential of Open Source and Linux in schools in the UK. Originally the proposal was to hold a largish conference in Birmingham in July, but it was felt by senior management that this might be inappropriate given Becta's independent role. Also concerns were expressed by leading education IT companies (you can guess) that it was not within Becta's remit to promote an Operating System over any other (sic). These conceptions and misconceptions have led to a scaling down of the event (to a research seminar) to be held at the Techno Centre, Coventry on July 25th. The main speakers will be Martin Williams, Powys LEA about there rollout of Linux servers to all their schools and Damian Counsell from the Institute of Cancer Research about the use of Open Source software within the Genome project. There will also be representatives from leading IT companies (incl Apple, RM, Redhat, Suse etc, we have invited Microsoft). There will also be a debate on Open Source content development and there will be delegates from Becta, DfEE, DTI and CCTA. We have some places still available, and if you wish to come (esp if you are in the Coventry area) can you please email Gino Bellavia, gino@ngfl.gov.uk. One subject of debate will be the future role of the web site www.ose.org.uk hope that clears things up a little Malcolm ------------------------------- Dr Malcolm Herbert Head of Technology R&D, Becta 02476 847126 Mob: 07801 612438 ------------------------------- -----Original Message----- From: Mark Evans [mailto:mpe@st-peters-high.devon.sch.uk] Sent: 07 July 2000 11:10 To: Glenn Cameron Cc: suse-linux-uk-schools@suse.com Subject: Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Summer Hols
Miles Berry [mailto:mberry@cccs.oxon.sch.uk] wrote:
Could Malcolm let us know what's happening about the OSE conference in Coventry, scheduled for 25/7 - I haven't had any details through.
OSE conference?
There has been little sign of life on the OSE website for some time.
Perhaps we should all be writing to our MPs and MEPs as individuals promoting the virtues of Open Source in education? If anyone who is a skilled writer could put such a letter on the web then I would happily download, modify and send a copy, and give it a little publicity. I understand that supportive decisions at this kind of level have been made by other EEC countries (France?). On the subject of campaigns, there is an online petition regarding the plan for European adoption of the US-type software patent laws which would also have an effect on education: More details at: http://www.freepatents.org/ http://www.eurolinux.org/ with the online petition at http://petition.eurolinux.org Hope this isn't OT, but SuSE do sponsor the Eurolinux Alliance! Regards, Clive. On Fri, 07 Jul 2000, you wrote: <snip>
given Becta's independent role. Also concerns were expressed by leading education IT companies (you can guess) that it was not within Becta's remit to promote an Operating System over any other (sic).
On Fri, Jul 07, 2000 at 12:58:05PM +0100, Malcolm wrote:
the Open Source for Education (OSE) website and conference have been set up run by Becta as a tool for investigating the potential of Open Source and Linux in schools in the UK.
Originally the proposal was to hold a largish conference in Birmingham in July, but it was felt by senior management that this might be inappropriate given Becta's independent role. Also concerns were expressed by leading education IT companies (you can guess) that it was not within Becta's remit to promote an Operating System over any other (sic).
Your senior management are wrong to let commercial interests lean on them. You are obviously not `promoting' you're quite rightly `investigating' the use of open source software as is your remit. As a government organisation your primary duty is to the taxpayer and not to commercial organisations who sell software produced by an illegal monopoly. Obviously, these companies have got something to fear if they're trying to stop you fulfil your remit. Which is (to quote from the Becta web-pages): `Becta's role is to advise policy makers and users in schools and colleges on how to purchase and implement this infrastructure in the most effective manner and, where appropriate, to test and certify particular systems so that they meet minimum standards. Becta evaluates emerging technologies and also advises the educational IT industry to encourage a strong, competitive market of choices available to educational users.' By rolling over you are not `evaluating emerging technologies', you are not in a position to sensibly `advise[s] the educational IT industry' and you are not encouraging `a strong, competitive market of choices available to educational users'. As a taxpayer, I want my money back. Who's in charge at Becta? I want to write to them and flame them to a crisp. -- Frank Shute *-------*-----*-----*-----*-----*-----*-----*-----*-----*-------* | Boroughbridge | Tel: 01423 323019 | PGP keyID: 0xC0B341A3 | *-------*-----*-----*-----*-----*-----*-----*-----*-----*-------* http://www.esperance.demon.co.uk/
"Frank Shute"
By rolling over you are not `evaluating emerging technologies', you are not in a position to sensibly `advise[s] the educational IT industry' and you are not encouraging `a strong, competitive market of choices available to educational users'.
As a taxpayer, I want my money back.
Who's in charge at Becta? I want to write to them and flame them to a crisp.
Absolutely. I too was very disappointed to read the original comment from Malcolm. I think Becta needs to think long and hard about who it works for. The biggest constraint in my own school is money - lack of it is causing the students' education to suffer. I want to expand our network; the hardware is not the problem, it is all the software licenses the money-grabbing software houses want us to pay for. One software title can cost a school many hundreds of pounds. We just can't afford it. I would have hoped Becta would have been more positive about the open source movement. I am also surprised that RM et al haven't cottened on the fact that there is money to be made with open source software. If they could do with Linux what they have done with NT/Windows and their Connect networking they would be on to a winner. 'Free software-pay for support' would be a winning combination for many a school, mine included. All we are waiting for is this sort of scenario. As ICT Coordinator I am not confident enough to jump ship by myself. -- Phillip Deackes Using Storm Linux 2000
hi all
i am interested in the comments to the list about Becta's stance re Open
Source. While not defending it entirely i do sympathise with Senior
(non-techie) Management opinions on Linux and Open Source. This debate is
not untypical in many public and private sector organisations.
Some other facts about the Open Source debate in UK education:
- that the main tier one suppliers are aware of Open Source / Linux, and
some even might see a commercial model, the existing commercial model is
extremely lucrative, the schools IT market is booming.
- that the DfEE would like to commision 'public-source software' where any
commisioned provider has to allow 'free' re-use and re-development of online
content material. This of course is not populat amoungst the development
community who again like the existing model very much.
- lobbying has already been done to Tony Blair, Patricia Hewitt, David
Blunkett and Alex Allan, with some success. Open Source is on the DfEE/DTI
agenda, but maybe not very high up it
- One the UK Tucows mirrors is hosted by RM :-`, as is the UK mirror for
Postgresql
If Becta's ongoing research into the potential of Open Source in education
shows that is should be pursueing a more high-profile i personally hope it
will. To that end, anybody wishing to express their views should attend on
the 25th July, Coventry (contact gino@ngfl.gov.uk)
a good debate....
Malcolm
-------------------------------
Dr Malcolm Herbert
Head of Technology R&D, Becta
02476 847126 Mob: 07801 612438
-------------------------------
-----Original Message-----
From: Phillip Deackes [mailto:gsmh@gmx.net]
Sent: 08 July 2000 22:26
To: suse-linux-uk-schools@suse.com
Subject: Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] OSE Conference
"Frank Shute"
By rolling over you are not `evaluating emerging technologies', you are not in a position to sensibly `advise[s] the educational IT industry' and you are not encouraging `a strong, competitive market of choices available to educational users'.
As a taxpayer, I want my money back.
Who's in charge at Becta? I want to write to them and flame them to a crisp.
Absolutely. I too was very disappointed to read the original comment from Malcolm. I think Becta needs to think long and hard about who it works for. The biggest constraint in my own school is money - lack of it is causing the students' education to suffer. I want to expand our network; the hardware is not the problem, it is all the software licenses the money-grabbing software houses want us to pay for. One software title can cost a school many hundreds of pounds. We just can't afford it. I would have hoped Becta would have been more positive about the open source movement. I am also surprised that RM et al haven't cottened on the fact that there is money to be made with open source software. If they could do with Linux what they have done with NT/Windows and their Connect networking they would be on to a winner. 'Free software-pay for support' would be a winning combination for many a school, mine included. All we are waiting for is this sort of scenario. As ICT Coordinator I am not confident enough to jump ship by myself. -- Phillip Deackes Using Storm Linux 2000
On Sun, Jul 09, 2000 at 08:49:53PM +0100, Malcolm wrote:
i am interested in the comments to the list about Becta's stance re Open Source. While not defending it entirely i do sympathise with Senior (non-techie) Management opinions on Linux and Open Source.
I'm afraid Malcolm I'm not sympathetic at all. Becta's bowed down to pressure from commercial interests to protect the status quo ie to carry on giving those very same commercial interests large amounts of taxpayers money. It doesn't matter how you dress it up it's *wrong* that the debate should be stifled in such a fashion by people who have got a commercial interest in preserving the status quo.
This debate is not untypical in many public and private sector organisations.
There seems to have been little debate about it, the only debate I can discern is that there was a short 'phone call from some PHB of a well known software company to the head of Becta telling him not to `promote' open source software. I think you're right when you say that this sort of `debate' isn't uncommon though.
Some other facts about the Open Source debate in UK education: - that the main tier one suppliers are aware of Open Source / Linux, and some even might see a commercial model, the existing commercial model is extremely lucrative, the schools IT market is booming.
I'd guess these tier one suppliers have done their sums though: Margin on linux with licenses = 0 Margin on NT with licenses = lots Money for old rope, no wonder they're so keen to stifle the debate and they're yet to supply a single linux box.
- that the DfEE would like to commision 'public-source software' where any commisioned provider has to allow 'free' re-use and re-development of online content material. This of course is not populat amoungst the development community who again like the existing model very much.
There is nothing stopping the DfEE commisioning an open source project tomorrow. There would be plenty of people within the open source community who would be happy to be paid a sum towards developing open source software for the public good, say through the auspices of Suse for example. This wouldn't be popular amongst the commercial development community but it would be amongst those who are a bit more publicly spirited as indeed the open source community generally are and it certainly would be popular amongst taxpayers who are currently footing the bill for the very poor products supplied by very few companies. But I guess that such a thing is unlikely to happen since these companies already have a commercial relationship with the department and they now seem to be in a position to dictate department policy. Isn't it about time that the dog should wag the tail though, rather than vice versa?
- lobbying has already been done to Tony Blair, Patricia Hewitt, David Blunkett and Alex Allan, with some success. Open Source is on the DfEE/DTI agenda, but maybe not very high up it
Thats Tony `blind trust/Bernie Ecclestone' Blair we're talking about; maybe if we could offer him a million pound bung he might just push it onto the agenda ;-)
- One the UK Tucows mirrors is hosted by RM :-`, as is the UK mirror for Postgresql
For downloading software I generally use sunsite.doc.ic.ac.uk hosted at Imperial courtesy of Sun Microsystems; doesn't mean that Sun should be given free reign to stitch up the market for IT in secondary schools either. -- Frank Shute *-------*-----*-----*-----*-----*-----*-----*-----*-----*-------* | Boroughbridge | Tel: 01423 323019 | PGP keyID: 0xC0B341A3 | *-------*-----*-----*-----*-----*-----*-----*-----*-----*-------* http://www.esperance.demon.co.uk/
I'm with Frank on this one. It's not only software manufacturers who would be applying pressure on this one, I'd bet good money that RM would hate to see schools deploying Linux as well.... Especially as the savings made would mean that they could then afford to employ ICT techies who know, and understand Open Source and what it can do. After all, it would mean that we could buy whatever computer systems we like from whatever manufacturer that we like, put whatever software is necessary on those systems and completely develop and run our own networks. No licences and if we want good support go direct to SuSE, RedHat, IBM etc. Management software for the network courtesy of Webmin..... Where it all falls down is with the School's Inspectors who can't appreciate the benefits of the Internet over the use of CD ROM's (usually written in a proprietary format - what's wrong with good old HTML for this purpose!) and have little experience of the problems of network management. Alan Harris Network Manager Bryngwyn School alanh@bryngwyn.carmarthen.sch.uk Note: The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the author and do not reflect the general opinion of the school or it's personnel. Frank Shute wrote:
On Sun, Jul 09, 2000 at 08:49:53PM +0100, Malcolm wrote:
i am interested in the comments to the list about Becta's stance re Open Source. While not defending it entirely i do sympathise with Senior (non-techie) Management opinions on Linux and Open Source.
I'm afraid Malcolm I'm not sympathetic at all. Becta's bowed down to pressure from commercial interests to protect the status quo ie to carry on giving those very same commercial interests large amounts of taxpayers money.
It doesn't matter how you dress it up it's *wrong* that the debate should be stifled in such a fashion by people who have got a commercial interest in preserving the status quo.
This debate is not untypical in many public and private sector organisations.
There seems to have been little debate about it, the only debate I can discern is that there was a short 'phone call from some PHB of a well known software company to the head of Becta telling him not to `promote' open source software. I think you're right when you say that this sort of `debate' isn't uncommon though.
Some other facts about the Open Source debate in UK education: - that the main tier one suppliers are aware of Open Source / Linux, and some even might see a commercial model, the existing commercial model is extremely lucrative, the schools IT market is booming.
I'd guess these tier one suppliers have done their sums though:
Margin on linux with licenses = 0
Margin on NT with licenses = lots
Money for old rope, no wonder they're so keen to stifle the debate and they're yet to supply a single linux box.
- that the DfEE would like to commision 'public-source software' where any commisioned provider has to allow 'free' re-use and re-development of online content material. This of course is not populat amoungst the development community who again like the existing model very much.
There is nothing stopping the DfEE commisioning an open source project tomorrow. There would be plenty of people within the open source community who would be happy to be paid a sum towards developing open source software for the public good, say through the auspices of Suse for example.
This wouldn't be popular amongst the commercial development community but it would be amongst those who are a bit more publicly spirited as indeed the open source community generally are and it certainly would be popular amongst taxpayers who are currently footing the bill for the very poor products supplied by very few companies.
But I guess that such a thing is unlikely to happen since these companies already have a commercial relationship with the department and they now seem to be in a position to dictate department policy.
Isn't it about time that the dog should wag the tail though, rather than vice versa?
- lobbying has already been done to Tony Blair, Patricia Hewitt, David Blunkett and Alex Allan, with some success. Open Source is on the DfEE/DTI agenda, but maybe not very high up it
Thats Tony `blind trust/Bernie Ecclestone' Blair we're talking about; maybe if we could offer him a million pound bung he might just push it onto the agenda ;-)
- One the UK Tucows mirrors is hosted by RM :-`, as is the UK mirror for Postgresql
For downloading software I generally use sunsite.doc.ic.ac.uk hosted at Imperial courtesy of Sun Microsystems; doesn't mean that Sun should be given free reign to stitch up the market for IT in secondary schools either.
--
Frank Shute
*-------*-----*-----*-----*-----*-----*-----*-----*-----*-------* | Boroughbridge | Tel: 01423 323019 | PGP keyID: 0xC0B341A3 | *-------*-----*-----*-----*-----*-----*-----*-----*-----*-------* http://www.esperance.demon.co.uk/
I'm with Frank on this one.
It's not only software manufacturers who would be applying pressure on
Would these be the likes some of the ones who exhibit at BETT and claim that writing software for Linux/*BSD is too difficult. (But then manage to produce something they *claim* will work with Win95(version 0) through to Windows 2000 and everything in between.)
After all, it would mean that we could buy whatever computer systems we like from whatever manufacturer that we like, put whatever software is necessary on those systems and completely develop and run our own networks. No licences and if we want good support go direct to SuSE,
To be honest if someone like TechSoft (who already have a sensible licencing policy) were to port their software to Linux and *SELL* it then we wouldn't be advese to *buying*. What is unsustainable in a school is per machine licencing.
Where it all falls down is with the School's Inspectors who can't appreciate the benefits of the Internet over the use of CD ROM's
IMHO the blame cannot be layed at the feet of Ofsted entirely. LEAs, local and central government, as well as those auditing school finances must take a fair part of the responsibility. However I can't really see a minister going on TV and saying "If schools wish to use expensive software then they must justify their choice". -- Mark Evans St. Peter's CofE High School Phone: +44 1392 204764 X109 Fax: +44 1392 204763
"Frank Shute"
wrote: By rolling over you are not `evaluating emerging technologies', you are not in a position to sensibly `advise[s] the educational IT industry' and you are not encouraging `a strong, competitive market of choices available to educational users'.
As a taxpayer, I want my money back.
Who's in charge at Becta? I want to write to them and flame them to a crisp.
Absolutely. I too was very disappointed to read the original comment from Malcolm. I think Becta needs to think long and hard about who it works for. The biggest constraint in my own school is money - lack of it is causing the students' education to suffer. I want to expand our network; the hardware is not the problem, it is all the software licenses the money-grabbing software houses want us to pay for. One software title can cost a school many hundreds of pounds. We just can't afford it.
Also Microsoft appears to have some kind of mystique amongst senior managment, LEA, etc. We have spent well over a month getting quotes for hardware, comparing them, etc. Yet when it comes to software everything (including the financial regulations) gets pushed to one side. Trying to even get the head of ICT (let alone other staff members) to even look at a machine running KDE is a major task. Yet the several thousand pounds cost of MS office and publisher on a room of machines is a serious constraint. (If it were anything else we'd probably need to get special permission from the LEA to spend this kind of money, in this way.)
I would have hoped Becta would have been more positive about the open source movement. I am also surprised that RM et al haven't cottened on the fact that there is money to be made with open source software. If they could do with Linux what they have done with NT/Windows and their Connect networking they would be on to a winner. 'Free software-pay for
They would actually have to do less work... But they might not be able to sell it for as much. Also are RM big enough to have one of the (illegal) supply agreements with MS which means they get their MS stuff cheap if they supply it with every machine they ship? -- Mark Evans St. Peter's CofE High School Phone: +44 1392 204764 X109 Fax: +44 1392 204763
On 8/7/00 Phillip Deackes wrote: I am also surprised that RM et al haven't cottened on
the fact that there is money to be made with open source software. If they could do with Linux what they have done with NT/Windows and their Connect networking they would be on to a winner. 'Free software-pay for support' would be a winning combination for many a school, mine included. All we are waiting for is this sort of scenario. As ICT Coordinator I am not confident enough to jump ship by myself.
How I agree. I have recently been on RM courses and tried to push the
idea of their developing a Connect-style topping for Linux. Surely
they would be better off not having to pay Microsoft.
Though I read recently that Microsoft is planning to switch to a
processor based licensing system rather than user based. This would
have to benefit schools.
EB
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Head of Learning Resources
Northbrook C of E School
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Tel: (+44) 020 8852 3191
Fax: (+44) 020 8463 0201
email: info@northbrook.lewisham.sch.uk
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On Fri, Jul 07, 2000 at 12:58:05PM +0100, Malcolm wrote:
the Open Source for Education (OSE) website and conference have been set up run by Becta as a tool for investigating the potential of Open Source and Linux in schools in the UK.
Originally the proposal was to hold a largish conference in Birmingham in July, but it was felt by senior management that this might be inappropriate given Becta's independent role. Also concerns were expressed by leading education IT companies (you can guess) that it was not within Becta's remit to promote an Operating System over any other (sic).
Your senior management are wrong to let commercial interests lean on them. You are obviously not `promoting' you're quite rightly `investigating' the use of open source software as is your remit. As
Indeed it looks in places more as though Becta is "promoting" the use "payware". AFAIK nowhere on the Becta website is any open source software listed simply as a tool to do a specific job. Yet specific pieces of software are mentioned in various places.
a government organisation your primary duty is to the taxpayer and not to commercial organisations who sell software produced by an illegal monopoly. Obviously, these companies have got something to
Also one which is based outside of both the UK and the EU...
fear if they're trying to stop you fulfil your remit.
Which is (to quote from the Becta web-pages):
`Becta's role is to advise policy makers and users in schools and colleges on how to purchase and implement this infrastructure in the most effective manner and, where appropriate, to test and certify
This would certainly include a whole host of financial issues. (i.e. not wasting money, spending money localy where possible, etc.)
particular systems so that they meet minimum standards. Becta
It might help to know what those standards are. Also there are ways in which unix like workstations are far more appropriate for usage in a school than are Windows workstations. (Especially if parts of recent desktops which copy Windows a little too well were addressed. e.g. email, global/per group menus & desktop items, etc.)
evaluates emerging technologies and also advises the educational IT industry to encourage a strong, competitive market of choices available to educational users.'
-- Mark Evans St. Peter's CofE High School Phone: +44 1392 204764 X109 Fax: +44 1392 204763
Just to add a small point regarding the costings of Linux versus other OSes. One huge benefit of Linux is that you don't have to upgrade your hardware everytime a new version of the OS comes out. If you choose that you are prepared to spent the money for a performance advantage, or to be able to use that 'killer' app., then you can still put that old machine to good use. How often is the case that the supplier selling you an OS with a big markup is also supplying the hardware? Clive.
If you do proceed with a Coventry meet (or somewhere close), then could you let me know and I can publicise it in one of the local user groups, if this is something that you would find useful. Sounds like a useful way to increase the size of the Lin-edu community :) Clive, Leicester Linux User Group (Which covers Leicestershire and some neighbouring counties, next meeting on the 13th - plug plug). On Thu, 06 Jul 2000, Malcolm Herbert wrote: <snip>
if you are looking for a central UK venue (as an alternative), we could host some sort of practical workshop here in Coventry, but we would like to attend anywhere
Malcolm
participants (13)
-
Alan Harris
-
Clive Jones
-
Derek Harding
-
Elizabeth Bentley
-
Frank Shute
-
Glenn Cameron
-
Malcolm
-
Malcolm Herbert
-
Mark Evans
-
Miles Berry
-
paul
-
Phillip Deackes
-
Roger Whittaker