October 2001 - openSUSE Edu - openSUSE Mailing Lists

Re: UK National health deal with Microsoft
by Ian Lynch 16 Oct '01

16 Oct '01

Just for info. I have had a reply from the National Audit Office with regard to this and from the DOH. The NAO officer responsible for the health service asked for some more background and they say they will look into it. Might not do a lot of good but who knows. If anyone is interested in the reply from the DOH and what I sent back I can E-mail it but I'll not bore you all as I know some aren't interested. Apparently it isn't an exclusive agreement so each health department can use other software if they want. Rather expensive if there is no guarantee it'll get used, eh? :-). regards, -- IanL

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SuSE 7.3
by Roger Whittaker 16 Oct '01

16 Oct '01

Sorry (as usual) about the advert, but as most people probably know, 7.3 Professional will be out shortly. The RRP is £59, which means that following our 'half-price for schools' policy, we're offering it to education for £30 all-in. (OK, I know, that's 50p over, but we don't charge you for shipping ...) If you want to order, just send me a mail with an official school order number. You can also post the order to me at the address below, or fax to 020 8387 4010. Carry on having a lot of fun.... -- ------------------- Roger Whittaker SuSE Linux Ltd The Kinetic Centre Theobald Street Borehamwood Herts WD6 4PJ ------------------ 020 8387 1482 ------------------ roger(a)suse.co.uk ------------------

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RE: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Re: Health Service MS deal
by Grainge, Derek 14 Oct '01

14 Oct '01

>The difference is that Sun is not a monopoly, nor have they been found >guilty (more than once) of breaking the law. The simple fact is that >Microsoft is a quite nasty organisation, who at some time in the >past appear to have become something more akin to gangsters and terrorists >than an honest business. >You also appear to be missing the point that tendering rules may well >have been ignored or a tender may have been put together in such a way >as to exclude all bar one supplier.> No Mark, YOU are missing the point. You are slagging off Microsoft in such an intemperate fashion that no-one in the big wide world will listen. Indeed lots of people in this group might well feel the same but be less inclined than me to chip in. Tendering rules have been broken? Slag off the Civil Service. I'm afraid that business is business and if someone in Westminster is daft enough to agree to set up a contract like this, it's a government problem, not Bill Gates'. Unless you know something about how this contract was arranged?? There is no way that ANY businessman would miss out on a contract like this, if offered. I have read a few emails here talking about gangsters, terrorists, New York ... I think the whole thread is developing into something very sad. -- ******************************************************************************** All mail sent and received may be examined to prevent transmission of inappropriate attachments and certain obscenities. Wellington College does not accept responsibility for email contents. Problems to postmaster(a)wellington-college.berks.sch.uk. ********************************************************************************

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MS School Licencing Scheme
by Alan Davies 13 Oct '01

13 Oct '01

I've listened to the arguements (if thats what they are) about the NHS MS deal. I suspect that right now they represent good value for money. I would, however, have concers about locking into such an agreement - or ending up with an expensive 'buy out' scheme. I am sure that many on this list are familiar with MS deal for schools - the 40ukp deal per station for Office/Publisher/VStudio/Encarta suites. It typically represents good value for money if you intend keeping your software base up to date. However - I do strongly object to counting 'every' PC regardless or not of whether it is going to run any MS products. It may not be a big issue at the moment but it does make the cost savings of switching to linux (for some stations) a non event as I still have to count those machines in paying for the MS licence. I can't see how the Office of Fair Trading can really allow this deal - but Microsoft are certainly getting away with it. -- Alan Davies Head of Computing Birkenhead School

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RE: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Re: NHS MS Deal
by Grainge, Derek 13 Oct '01

13 Oct '01

I am interested in seeing the proper use of Linux in schools, and will continue to use it myself. I have enjoyed the discussions in this group, but I see little point in senseless comment from some people who have their own and very blinkered point of view. Of course the obvious retort is that my point of view is equally blinkered. I don't think so. However I have little interest in prolonging this thread any further so I am withdrawing from the list <plonk> -- ******************************************************************************** All mail sent and received may be examined to prevent transmission of inappropriate attachments and certain obscenities. Wellington College does not accept responsibility for email contents. Problems to postmaster(a)wellington-college.berks.sch.uk. ********************************************************************************

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Re: NHS MS Deal
by Paul Munro 13 Oct '01

13 Oct '01

This is an interesting one indeed. Is a contract open-ended, or do you have to retender for the contract and allow for other bids, under law, for said contract? I think that one's easy enough to work out. Ian Lynch made some very good points on this, and I agree. On that note, it would appear that MS have taken advantage of the Govts. apparent distraction at this time by providing them a no-brainer: newer (cheeper?) contracts/licensing for the resumption of their license agreements under the guise of their new SA. Nice. Microsoft are not on my terrorist list, so I have no particular *gripe* with them, unless you count their antitrust behaviour and out-and-out "kill the opposition fast" business tactics as fair game? In this example (NHS contract) I think again they have shown their true business tactics, and in this respect should be opened up for all to see. Indeed, this may be in contravention of Eu law, and given the EUs interest in MS of late, should be very much in their interest to find out and investigate. If SUN had been doing this, then I think we all would be saying the same thing. Fact is, MS are a monopoloy and so need to be very careful how they conduct business; it would seem that they just don't care, because too many people believe that their practises are quite *legal* and therefore say nothing. This is no way for the software industry to continue, especially in the economic climate in which we all breathe. No. Simply, MS need to be brought to stand for this one, and the Govt need to be brought there too!! Paul

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Health Service MS deal
by mclarke＠its-linux.co.uk 12 Oct '01

12 Oct '01

Friends, I for one intend to do something about this. (if it is indeed true) Not only will I be writing to the OFT with regard to this, but I shall be seeing my MP ( Gwynneth Dunwoody) at her next available surgery. I suggest that all members of the list do likewise! NB: Any of the "what good will it do" attitude plays into the hands of both M$ and the Gov. ( as the timing of this is no accident, and this fact alone fills me with disgust. ) So put yourselves out, and put yourselves about, and if they will not hear our voice then we must learn to shout. Never loose sight of the fact that M$ considers Linux, and by association you and me, as the enemy. So they will not play fair, and they will not play by the rules. So dont be surprised............ Mat Clarke. iTS-LiNUX Ltd. 154 Mill Street Crewe Cheshire CW2 7AX Tel. +44 (0) 1270 213 829 Fax. +44 (0) 1270 213 926 *********************************************************************************************************************************** The opinions expressed in this e-mail are the senders personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or attitudes of the company. ***********************************************************************************************************************************

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Re: Health service MS Deal
by Alan Harris 12 Oct '01

12 Oct '01

Hi All, Well then, Blair gives Microsoft a 70 Million Donation - I love the concept of Best Value! Interesting news coming, as it does after an article in Computing (I think) last week stating that Cornwall C.C have just spent 1.5 Million on Microsoft Products and upgrading systems to run them (XP and Office XP)..... Perhaps it's time to stop paying our taxes? I think we should, each of us, e-mail and snail-mail the P.M. etc., directly expressing our concern about these 'dubious' dealings, at the same time as expressing our interest in what action the EU will take regarding an 'apparent' breach of it's law? After all, what else are MEP's for? Alan ----------------------------------------------------- Alan Harris Network Manager Bryngwyn School Tel : 01554 750661 Fax : 01554 758255 E-mail: alanh(a)bryngwyn.carmarthen.sch.uk ----------------------------------------------------- Notes: 1. The contents of this email may be snooped on by interested government parties for unknown purposes! Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act, 2000. 2. The opinions expressed in this email are personal and may not be shared by Bryngwyn School. -----------------------------------------------------

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RE: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Health Service MS deal
by Kate Hanaghan 12 Oct '01

12 Oct '01

i'm currently trying to find out the answers to our questions. once again, if anyone thinks they know somehing that's relevant, do drop me a line. Kate Hanaghan Ebusiness editor Silicon Media Group +44 207 761 8219 -----Original Message----- From: Damian Counsell [mailto:counsell@icr.ac.uk] Sent: Friday, October 12, 2001 12:16 PM To: ian.lynch2(a)ntlworld.com; SuSE Schools Subject: Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Health Service MS deal Friends If this is true then it's the most shocking thing I've read since the Twin Towers collapsed. (Admittedly, this isn't a very long time, but it's not every day that 5000 people are murdered in a terrorist attack on the US mainland.) We are hardly in a position to get worked up about corruption in foreign governments if this is the kind of stitch-up we permit our own administration to be involved in. If anyone has a link to more info about this then I would be very interested to read it---I couldn't find anything about it at news.bbc.co.uk---and we should submit it to Slashdot forthwith. all the best Damian Ian Lynch wrote: > On radio 4 last night I caught a brief announcement that the Government are > doing a block deal with MS of licenses for the NHS for 70m (per year?). -- Damian COUNSELL http://www.icr.ac.uk/cmb/bioinformatics/ CMB Bioinformatics phone: +44 020 7352 8133 x5226 Institute of Cancer Research direct: +44 020 7878 3850 London SW3 6JB fax: +44 020 7351 3325 -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: suse-linux-uk-schools-unsubscribe(a)suse.com For additional commands, e-mail: suse-linux-uk-schools-help(a)suse.com

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RE: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Re: Health Service MS deal
by Kate Hanaghan 12 Oct '01

12 Oct '01

this is really interesting .....we (silicon.com) could do something with this. anyone know anything more? Kate Hanaghan Ebusiness editor Silicon Media Group +44 207 761 8219 -----Original Message----- From: Richard Ibbotson [mailto:richard@sheflug.co.uk] Sent: Friday, October 12, 2001 11:47 AM To: SuSE Schools Subject: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Re: Health Service MS deal Ian > enquiries.competitionact(a)oft.gov.uk Wrote a long e-mail to this address but I don't expect any answers. I might also say in passing that any letter to my Member of Parliament about Linux and the cost of software to schools in the local area doesn't seem to be taken all that seriously. I've seen several invoices to local schools for MS licence for £20 000 and more. This is in northern England where we don't have money for schools. Or ... so we are told :) Thanks -- Richard -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: suse-linux-uk-schools-unsubscribe(a)suse.com For additional commands, e-mail: suse-linux-uk-schools-help(a)suse.com

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