Becta: Educating Microsoft
,----[ Quote ]
| Q: Becta also claimed in January that there are six valid alternatives
| to Microsoft Office that schools should consider: Open Office,
| WordPerfect Office, Star Office, Lotus SmartSuite, One SE and
| EasyOffice. But you say each of these provides only about half
| the features of Office 2007. In that case, how can you recommend them?
|
| A: The majority of functionality is not used in schools' typical use.
| But if schools make use of the additional functionality in Office
| 2007 then it is a decision for them.
|
| Q: How many of these six alternatives would you like ideally to be
| offered to schools?
|
| A: We would like to see these products be freely available. We would
| like open source to be available as part of the package.
`----
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/0,1000000121,39285734,00.htm?r=4
Related:
Becta pays lip-service to Open Source
,----[ Quote ]
| In their recent analysis of Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007,
| Becta called on the ICT industry to ensure that computers for the
| education marketplace are delivered with a choice of Office
| productivity suites, ideally including an Open Source offering.
| Yet schools are unable to purchase any Open Source office suites
| through Becta's own procurement frameworks.
|
| Latest European Commission research concludes that EU governments
| should "avoid lifelong vendor lock-in in educational systems by
| teaching students skills, not specific applications; encourage
| participation in FLOSS-like communities."
`----
http://sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=29102&hilite=
Becta's schools software scheme reported to EC
,----[ Quote ]
| An advisor to Becta, the education technology quango, has complained
| to the European Commission about its procurement process for firms
| to provide online learning platforms and content to British schools.
`----
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/01/08/becta_ec_complaint/
OSC joins criticism of UK education's attitude to open source
,----[ Quote ]
| Open Source Consortium president, Mark Taylor, has been in contact to
| voice its opinion on the controversy surrounding Becta's purchasing
| frameworks and the adoption of open source adoption in UK schools.
|
| In short, it doesn't make happy reading for Becta. "The essence of
| our concern is that they're saying one thing and actually pursuing
| policies that are exclusive," he said. "Becta's own research shows there
| are major benefits [with open source], however the reality of the
| framework is that it excludes both products and services."
`----
http://www.businessreviewonline.com/os/archives/2006/11/osc_joins_criti.html
UK Government criticised for stifling open source in schools
,----[ Quote ]
| MP Pugh reckons shcools should support independent or open source
| software firms. He says, "In my experience a school is a key part
| of the community and as such has a role to play in the economy of
| that community. By supporting SMEs the local high-technology
| industry will be encouraged which will benefit everyone."
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=36464
Becta under fire for procurement framework
,----[ Quote ]
| Nineteen MPs have accused a government agency of restricting the
| procurement of software in schools.
`----
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11/29/becta_procurement_criticised/
MPs criticise government roadblocks to Open Source adoption in schools
,----[ Quote ]
| The UK Government's own studies have shown savings of up to 60% can be
| made by schools and colleges using Open Source software. Despite this
| clear advantage, some MPs believe the software procurement frameworks
| from Becta and official advice from DfES effectively locks out the us
| of free, Open Source software.
`----
http://opensourceblog.itproportal.com/?p=220
Becta report slams Microsoft academic licensing, dismisses Vista
,----[ Quote ]
| Even ignoring the open source-related controversy surrounding these
| reports (see here, here , here, and here) the statistics are jaw-dropping.
`----
http://www.businessreviewonline.com/os/archives/2007/01/becta_report_sl.html
|
|
