Schools warned away from Microsoft

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 29th October 2007
Comments (18) Stumble
Is Bill Gates masterminding an attempt to take over schools in the UK, or is he just desperate to be a model?

Is Bill Gates masterminding an attempt to take over schools in the UK, or is he just desperate to be a model?

UK Schools are being warned not to sign licensing agreements with Microsoft by Becta, the government's computer agency, because of alleged anti-competitive practices.

According to the BBC, complaints have been lodged against Microsoft with the Office of Fair Trading.

Becta accuses Microsoft of refusing to resolve some fundamental concerns about how software is licensed to schools, especially regarding Windows Vista and Office 2007. Microsoft insists that it is trying to offer the best software at the best possible price, but Becta is worried about the subscription model of payment which Microsoft is demanding.

Becta has officially advised all UK schools to only sign agreements with Microsoft if it involves a one-off payment which gives permanent rights to use the software.

Becta has also voiced concern about the requirement that schools must have licenses for every PC which might be running Microsoft software, whether or not the software is actually in use or not. Because of this, Becta is advising schools which have already signed on with Microsoft to consider leaving the scheme as soon as possible and only to use Office 2007 when it has established good interoperability with other software.

Becta reckons that if schools switched to open source software then they'd be able to shave between 20 to 50 percent off the costs of ICT departments.

"Becta is determined to get the best deal it can for schools and indeed for the wider educational system, and to make it as cost-effective and convenient as possible for educational customers to acquire the ICT products and services they choose," the agency said in a statement.

What software did your school use and what was the first software you learnt to use? Let us know in the forums.
Quote chrisb2e9 25th October 2007, 14:26
I haven't heard all of their music but I do like the band. The sneaker is cool too.
Quote Nexxo 25th October 2007, 15:04
Weird and tacky mods are the topic of the day: http://www.wired.com/gadgets/pcs/multimedia/2007/10/gallery_tacky_pcs
Quote Spaceraver 25th October 2007, 16:27
The bible mod is still a good one.
Quote wolff000 25th October 2007, 22:19
Nice link Nexxo. I hadn't seen 2 of those before. The bible mod does look damn good. I absolutely love the nes sneaker mod though.
Quote l3w1z 26th October 2007, 06:05
"getting home with the downies"

Was I the only one who was thinking bad thoughts when I read this part?
Quote Henk 26th October 2007, 08:41
Oh man, this reminds me of the Hulk Hogan Meat Shoes :)
Quote jezmck 26th October 2007, 08:49
Quote:
Originally Posted by l3w1z
"getting home with the downies"
Was I the only one who was thinking bad thoughts when I read this part?
no, and they're not bad thoughts - just a logical conclusion.
Quote l3w1z 26th October 2007, 17:02
Quote:
Originally Posted by jezmck
Quote:
Originally Posted by l3w1z
"getting home with the downies"
Was I the only one who was thinking bad thoughts when I read this part?
no, and they're not bad thoughts - just a logical conclusion.

I was thinking more along the lines of a dog a friend of mine had named "syndrome".
Quote CardJoe 26th October 2007, 20:08
Hm - wasn't intended that way. More of just reveral of getting down with the homies.
Quote jezmck 28th October 2007, 22:16
we knew that joe, just took it to the next level... (up/down - your choice ;))
Quote CardJoe 28th October 2007, 23:15
Quote Mrmedia 29th October 2007, 00:50
Thats awesome
Quote Bursar 29th October 2007, 11:50
Wait, what have these comments got to do with the licensing of MS software to schools? Or have the comments been linked to the wrong article? :)
Quote Darkedge 29th October 2007, 14:05
Were Becta the same MUPPETS who advised Uk schools to buy Research machines kit? RM are and always were overpriced ****.

Still schools shouldn't be touching Vista AT ALL and office 2007? Use staroffice now please, save millions that way.
Quote Mankz. 29th October 2007, 14:17
ignore
Quote dyzophoria 29th October 2007, 16:44
i doubt blocking M$ would work, so becta suggests linux?, i'd rather would see schools that teach both, yeah teach everyone the beauty of opensource, but look at the reality people, most developers with good software (including games) are on windows, rather than pushing every other ordinary joe to take the leap to linux, why not push the developers to port their stuff to linux first ? ( yeah open office , staroffice, are starters, but still, we need more :) ). The day I see adobe software running natively on ubuntu will surely make my day

and besides, if M$ isn't there, there wont be any competition for the opensource guys, and with most projects i've seen on sourceforge; if there aint any competition, the project stalls :(
Quote tuteja1986 30th October 2007, 03:46
Only one problem with Linux mass migration in school will have an effect as the school would have to fire its IT staff to hire Linux competent stuff which ain't cheap and i would never work for anything below 70K on Linux network. But a school could find a decent Windows tech would work for 40K easy. Also open office sucks , but i use it every day because i do the only basic task and because its free.
Quote Redbeaver 30th October 2007, 13:45
jeezus christ that picture will give me nightmare.....
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