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