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____/ SomeBloke on Friday 13 June 2008 09:01 : \____
> Is this two steps forward and one step back?
>
>
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/06/12/open-source-snub-uk-schools
>
> <quote>
> THE OPEN SOURCE community was bitterly disappointed today after the UK
> appointed an unknown consultancy to run an historic programme of advocacy
> in schools.
> International big hitters had piled behind UK open source houses bidding for
> a Becta contract to set up an open source community in the schools sector.
> It was seen as a breakthrough - an indication that convicted monopolist
> Microsoft was losing its grip on the sector.
> But Becta gave the open source community an almighty slap in the face when
> it turned down their three bids and awarded the business to a consultancy
> with no links to the open source community, said representatives of the
> community.
> Becta said in a written statement today: "Bids were invited and, following
> an evaluation process, the contract has been awarded to The Alphaplus
> Consultancy (Manchester)."
> It did not say why Alphaplus had been chosen over a line-up of prime open
> source bidders, but Mark Taylor, president of the Open Source Consortium,
> and whose consultancy Sirius bid for the work, said it was a mistake.
>
> "They've chosen the worst possible candidate because [Alphaplus] have no
> open source experience whatsoever," said Taylor.
> "The project is about open source in schools. Unless you have open source
> people in there, its nonsense," he said.
>
> John Winkley, a director of Alphaplus, said he wanted to clear his comments
> with Becta before saying what his firm could bring to the UK's schools open
> source community.
> But he refuted the allegation that Alphaplus wasn't qualified to do the
> work: "I think we are and BECTA clearly think we are," he said.
> </quote>
>
> At least they are trying to go down the right road, let's give Becta that
> credit.
I live in Manchester and I never heard of "Alphaplus". Let's hope it's not one
of those who call "Open XML" open source and choose things like 'shared
source' .NET. Open source can be quite meaningless unless those who look at it
actually understand that it's about the licence, not some badge. Microsoft has
been faking a lot of so-callled 'open source' to exploit loopholes and enter
some contracts.
Alphaplus deserves the benefit of the doubt though.
- --
~~ Best of wishes
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