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-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Simon Waters wrote: > Adrian Midgley wrote: >> 2009/9/28 Paul Hirst <paul.hirst@xxxxxxxxxx <mailto:paul.hirst@xxxxxxxxxx>> >> >> On Fri, 2009-09-25 at 21:14 +0100, james kilty wrote: >> >> This implication is that if you go and find some old hardware, bring it >> into school (get it electrically tested :-) ) and then stick Linux on >> it, Microsoft deserves to get some money. Huh?? >> >> Looks like a bad contract. > > It is probably unenforceable, as well as a restraint on trade. Back in > 2007 Becta were taking issues with MS contract to the OFT, although I've > no idea what the outcome was Microsoft now have new licensing agreement > that don't include these terms. > > Schools should of course ask for such insane clauses to be removed from > their contract. If Microsoft doesn't comply, then it is an indication of > imbalance in the establishment of the contract. > > I think if there was a proper alternative to capitas SIMS school management system that ran on say Linux / mac and Windwows, then it could seriously allow schools to dictate to microsoft and other suppliers (as in customer to supplier), so MS could be told, we don't like these terms, sort it or else. I am not sure how much SIMS costs, but i don't think its cheap, and schools are usually forced to upgrade the whole package to get one new feature, which is designed to help comply with more central paperwork and rules. Of course any solution needs to have proper technical support, and be backed up by someone in the same way as ubuntu is backed by canonical. Paul Paul - -- Paul Sutton www.zleap.net Support Open and ISO standard file formats ISO 26300 odf http://www.odfalliance.org Meetings 1st Saturday of the month - Shoreline, Paignton from 3pm Software freedom day 2009 - Saturday 19th September 2009 -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.9 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org iEYEARECAAYFAkrAnf0ACgkQaggq1k2FJq281QCfeGaMwKWDYL58WpN36y8kpT7k kA8AoIqIm0GSR32nua46q5z1w6giQu7y =EM5S -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/linux_adm/list-faq.html