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On 17/06/10 12:33, Julian Hall wrote: > On 17/06/2010 11:50, Rob Beard wrote: >> Hi folks, >> >> I thought this might be interesting. Basically it's a discussion >> going on in the comments section of The Register about the new Office >> 2010 (and how you can't buy a cheaper version upgrade from a previous >> version of MS Office)... >> >> http://forums.channelregister.co.uk/forum/1/2010/06/16/office_2010_no_upgrade/ >> >> >> Scroll down to the post titled "Think of the children" by Dave_H. >> >> This really got me, his poor kids who are at secondary school are >> being given fail marks because they can't open proprietary document >> formats (i.e. Office 2007). >> >> I think this is something that should be brought up. These teachers >> are basically helping vendor lock in by using proprietary software >> which the kids then may well have to buy (for instance MS Publisher) >> which funds the Microsoft monopoly. >> >> Surely if the schools switched to OpenOffice, they could distribute >> copies of OpenOffice for Windows, Linux and Mac so anyone with a >> computer at home could make use of the documents. >> >> My elder step kids are in secondary school now and one of them is >> talking about moving back to Devon to live with us. If we get this >> sort of vendor lock in from their new school I'm going to kick up a >> stink about it. >> >> I wonder if it's worth mentioning to Adrian Sanders and Anne-Marie >> Morris (or anyone outside of Teignbridge/Torbay, mention it to your >> local MP). >> >> Rob >> > Just forwarded your mail and sent the below to my MP in S Wales :) > > ---- > Hi Alun, > > When I was doing my degree the lecturers told us *not* to submit > assignments in docx (the Office 2007 format) because they couldn't open > it. I think it is reprehensible that teachers in schools are apparently > doing the reverse and failing children for their own errors. I would be > interested to know how widespread this practise is. > > Kind regards, > > Julian > Another plan forward this to Ofsted, its their job to ensure standards are maintained, if teachers are failing students then this needs to be investigated and dealt with. Paul -- 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