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____/ High Plains Thumper on Wednesday 18 Nov 2009 12:08 : \____
> SomeBloke wrote:
>> Roy Schestowitz wrote:
>>
>>> Open University appoints Microsoft boss
>>>
>>> ,----[ Quote ]
>>>> The Open University has appointed a Microsoft boss to be its
>>>> fifth vice-chancellor.
>>> `----
>>>
>>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/nov/20/open-university-microsoft
>>>
>>> "Open University" Becomes "Closed University"
>>>
>>> ,----[ Quote ]
>>>> Of course, the first thing Mr Bean will have to do is change the
>>>> name: we can't have any of that stinky "openness" around, can we?
>>> `----
>>>
>>> http://opendotdotdot.blogspot.com/2008/11/open-university-becomes-closed.html
>>>
>>> University challenged to ditch Microsoft
>>>
>>> ,----[ Quote ]
>>>> The OU provides students with technical support, but only if they
>>>> use Microsoft software. It advises students that if they don't
>>>> use a Windows PC they "may have problems accessing the software
>>>> and data files supplied with course materials". It has produced a
>>>> 31-page guide to using Microsoft software and extensive
>>>> demonstrations. It has produced upgrade advice for Microsoft's
>>>> Vista operating system and even gone as far as promoting a
>>>> Microsoft discount offer to its students.
>>>>
>>>> The OU does distribute copies of the Open Source Star Office to
>>>> all students, but that endorsement pales in comparison to its
>>>> backing of Microsoft. It has given no such advice, support or
>>>> endorsement of Ubuntu, the free operating system lauded as the
>>>> Open Source movement's viable alternative to Windows.
>>> `----
>>>
>>> http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/11/11/university-challenged-ditch
>>
>> One of the saddest things I have found as an OU student is that the
>> institution has signally failed to embrace FOSS as a given. You can
>> access the OU's portal and it's various sub sites with a Linux
>> powered system but you get no support and the First Class client is
>> out of date.
>>
>> There is an active Linux user student base and we are attempting to
>> push adoption of FOSS but the wall we are pushing against has rather
>> deep foundations.
>
> Based on the articles, it does sound as though a private non-UK
> corporation is now holding the university hostage at the whims of
> someone who goes against open principals.
>
> The issue is not one of open principals but of control. What will they
> do next? Dump the open software that was to revolutionise the campus
> for proprietary? Make it .NET compliant?
>
> Recently, I found that a game I purchased several months ago, Command
> and Conquer Red Alert 3 is now broken. What makes this game unique is
> that if played as Allies, it is the British Empire that is in control
> and that the US is an interfering element that almost jeopardises the
> Alliance, by US President Ackerman aiming the US nuclear arsenal at
> Moscow. One mission requires assassinating Ackerman to succeed.
>
> I was able to play all 3 campaigns, but recently I found it odd the
> random but consistent crashing through a Microsoft window pop-up,
> declaring it had to terminate the software, after a series of patches.
> Now it does not run after rebuilding the XP partition.
>
> Is it that the only solution for stability is purchase of Microsoft
> games as well?
Don't these games run under the latest Wine? If not, the nice thing is that they will as
wine matures. Wine compatibility with Windows games and applications is in some ways
better than that of Vista and Vista 7. In the future, whenever people wish to 'revive'
memories of nostalgic games they'll fire up wine, not Windows. It's like dosbox.
Apple too makes use of Wine (or projects that build upon it).
- --
~~ Best of wishes
Roy S. Schestowitz | Oracle: Linux adoption to accelerate
http://Schestowitz.com | Open Prospects | PGP-Key: 0x74572E8E
Tasks: 140 total, 1 running, 139 sleeping, 0 stopped, 0 zombie
http://iuron.com - knowledge engine, not a search engine
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