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

 

Rob Beard wrote:
> 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
> 
> 

s/interesting/painful

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