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[News] Why Education Must NOT be Windows-centric

A critical review of using Microsoft Windows centric applications in
academia.

,----[ Quote ]
| Firstly, we have to consider the fact that Microsoft has been
| prosecuted under anti trust laws in the US and action has been enforced
| upon them as a result. Furthermore, in Europe (where I am), the
| European Commission is currently in the process of penalising Microsoft
| on the similar grounds. That being said, if the academic system
| continues to use Microsoft centric teaching methods and resources, they
| are indirectly contributing to the monopolistic business model of
| Microsoft. So from an ethical standpoint, the academic system should
| be trying very hard to use alternative systems and teaching methods in
| order to develop skills in their students which are not dependent on
| the Microsoft environment.
| 
| [...]
| 
| Teaching someone how to create hypertext markup language documents
| (HTML) for publishing on the world wide web (www), is not the same
| as teaching someone how to use Adobe Dreamweaver. In fact it can be
| argued that using a proprietary suite of applications to teach someone
| HTML is of detriment to their education, since if they are presented
| with the challenge of developing a project without the use of these
| proprietary applications, they will find the task very difficult and
| would need to learn how to use different tools.
| 
| [...]
| 
| Another problem with this model, is that it stifles innovation. If the 
| adults we produce from our educated students are going to be
| discriminated against for not adhering to the Microsoft model (in that,
| they are less likely to gain employment and develop a career) then
| logically the majority of the student population will conform to this
| model in order to secure their future.
`----

http://users.livejournal.com/_paladine_/7968.html


Last week:

MPs criticise government roadblocks to Open Source adoption in schools

,----[ Quote ]
| UK Members of Parliament have identified Department of Education and
| Skills (DfES) and Becta policies as favouring proprietary software
| vendors thereby blocking the adoption of Open Source software by schools
| and colleges. An Early Day Motion tabled by Liberal Democrat MP John
| Pugh, has called for a fair approach to ICT procurement in the
| education sector.
`----

http://sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=28349&hilite=

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