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Re: [LUG] OT: "Bloody' Microsoft - extra bbc article

 

Tom Potts wrote:
> On Saturday 27 October 2007 18:17, tom wrote:
>> Tom Potts wrote:
>>> http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7063716.stm
>>> on Microsoft in schools
>>> points out the any machine that could run M$ has to be licensed -
>>> so you give em a linux machine and M$ gets paid for it.
>>> Tom te tom te tom
>> I have to laugh (or is that cry ?) more than 5 years ago a small school
>> in America said to Microsoft "I'm not signing that" and initiated the
>> K12LTSP project ( "LTSP for schools).
>>
>> K12LTSP is now used in schools throughout the world (notably ones where
>> legal ownership of MS products is out of reach).
>>
>> Why are we Brits so stupid, apathetic and lazy .... If Becta had got its
>>   Arse in gear 5 years ago we would have an open source culture in
>> schools and start to see a more clued up workforce potential, no far
>> better to let American companies tie us up with extortionate leagalise
>> and kill our own innovative workforce stone dead......
> but you cant allow other countries  to innovate in order to   give the 
> illusion that US economics works - if we Brits were allowed to innovate then 
> we'd outstrip the US economy in weeks. Competition would destroy 'market 
> economics'.
> The US have sent us all kinds of marketing and business management Gurus to 
> train us since WWII and now we have a management and entrepreneurial class 
> that couldn't shoot pork bellies in a barrel. Nice things like Quality 
> Management from Japan are taught by US Gurus and implemented by US taught 
> management teams and dont work here after that....
> 
> You get projects like K12LTSP because the US pushes its illusion of democracy 
> to a lower level - get people to argue over who runs their schools and who is 
> chief of police and let the big business run the rest of the country. 
> When, with the internet, small things can get surprisingly big this takes 
> certain 'democratic' models by surprise.
>  The internet is almost by nature an economically, politically and 
> scientifically disruptive force.
> There are many other forces at large that realise this and think its in their 
> best interests to keep us in the computing dark ages.
> Tom te tom te tom
> 
>> Arrrgh ..... why do I bother.........
> have THEY managed to disillusion another into innaction?
> 
>> Tom.
> 
> 

There is some hope... http://stephen-walder.blogspot.com/

I still think it's wrong though what Microsoft are saying with the 
licensing scheme.  Does it cover just PCs or anything that is classed as 
a computer?  Say an old BBC Micro if the school have any left in 
cupboards etc?

That would be interesting seeing Vista boot on a BBC Micro.

Rob


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