I've often noticed many of those who work within 'fortress education' like to believe they are the only ones who know anything about IT. Far too often I've seen educators completely ignore the norms of Netiquette, and try to put enforce their own way of doing things based on a 'theoretical' rather than a 'pragmatic user-tried-and-tested' perspective. Often the solutions they come up with are painfully difficult to work with, and it can take a long time for them to wake up to the fact there's a far more user-friendly way of communicating that takes place beyond the boundaries of their cloistered world! David Bowles
Perhaps we should recognise that Becta is staffed by folk who learnt about computers through the same limited view of IT that was discussed earlier. Some of them will have gone on to gain degrees in Computer Science, only to discover on graduating that the real world expects them to start learning all over again. The few people I've met from Becta who had any real experience, were as critical of the organisation as any.
I've also sent a letter to Own Lynch, maybe we can get him along to the FLOSSIE Conference as well as his boss.
John Ingleby