Helios would love Queensland.......not !!!
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| Ridcully Feb 13, 2011 6:30 PM EDT |
What Helios has written in this article is almost identical to the Queensland Education Department in miniature. "There is nothing that can run computers other than Windows, and our children will be taught the same." I am sure that statement is framed and hanging on the wall of every IT section in that Department, and probably the rest of the government as well. It won't change unless overwhelming forces (usually business and profits) compel it to do so. Roll on Android.......please !! |
| jdixon Feb 13, 2011 6:58 PM EDT |
TOS considerations prevent me from pointing out the obvious. :( |
| Ridcully Feb 13, 2011 7:37 PM EDT |
@Jdixon........ummm.....there are (according to at least one Google site) 85 meanings for the "TOS" acronym.....Which one do you want ? Sorry, but some of these acronyms are out of my general area.....and I feel like I have the "head of the fish but not the body" with what you intended to mean. Sorry.....I guess I am just feeling over-dense this cloudy morn. :-) |
| jdixon Feb 13, 2011 7:52 PM EDT |
LXer's Terms of Service. |
| hkwint Feb 13, 2011 7:57 PM EDT |
It refers to some interpretation of the LXer-rules which don't allow you to say certain things, because if all discussion is allowed on LXer, history has proven within no time all that will be left of discussions is political and religious debate. That's why probably JD feels unable to voice his concerns about the influence of politics on education; because before you know it the discussion is not about Linux and education anymore, but about who loves which political party and why. And before you know it the discussion is about guns, health care and what have ya our fellow Americans worry about. Those 'Terms Of Service' are taken care of by humans (meaning Scott), so there's no absolute 'limit' of what one can say in LXer forums or not. But if Scott thinks the discussion turned too political, he will block further comments. Because after all, it's the idea LXer is about Linux and FOSS, and not about politics and religion. |
| helios Feb 13, 2011 9:35 PM EDT |
This is a good thing...and that's why I said early in the article that this wasn't a democrat vs republican thing...Since TeacherGate, I've had to mod all comments due to the filth and grit that was getting posted. But yes, you are right...and I should know. I am the LXer leader in taking posts off-topic. |
| gus3 Feb 13, 2011 9:40 PM EDT |
Quoting:But yes, you are rightNow, now, don't try to sidestep the rules with a Left vs. Right conflict... /me ducks to avoid the tomatoes |
| jdixon Feb 13, 2011 9:59 PM EDT |
> ...because before you know it the discussion is not about Linux and education anymore... Exactly. Any general purpose comments I can make on the matter would almost certainly lead to the thread being closed in fairly short order. :( And that probably tells those who know me everything they need to know anyway. :) That said, I think we can all agree that additional use of Linux in education and government would a great benefit both to the users and to the taxpayers, and that it's a shame so many forces stand in the way of that happening. |
| tuxchick Feb 13, 2011 11:10 PM EDT |
What's so controversial about railing against the folly of shortsighted thinking and MS lock-in? It's pretty derned obvious. |
| Ridcully Feb 14, 2011 1:13 AM EDT |
Thanks Jdixon, Hkwint and Helios........you have now jogged my memory. I've got no interest in the politics of Queensland as regards LXer and have steered clear of it absolutely. In any event, it wouldn't matter which political party was in power in Queensland; it is the Redmond stooges that control the IT administration section within the supposedly a-political public service. It is these faceless men and women that ensure Education Dept lock-in to Microsoft. Sad but very, very true. If you confronted them, they would be able to prove conclusively that paying millions to Microsoft for licences is far cheaper and unbelievably more cost effective than paying far less for open-source software, moreover, FOSS is cheap and nasty and is far too difficult for children to use because it is designed by and for computer geeks. Moreover, while they conveniently forget all the places it is replacing Microsoft, you will be told that FOSS hasn't worked properly anywhere else and the current situation is the best possible outcome with respect to all the Windows based software, servers, business requirements, etc. etc.........Oh, and finally, the door would be slammed in your face, or the Window banged down on your fingers. Am I cynical ? Who......me ? Yep !!!!!!! |
| hkwint Feb 14, 2011 4:28 PM EDT |
But it IS possible to think different. Portugal shows, with their 550 000 Linux (dual boot) desktops for kids from 6-12yr old. And at FOSDEM I heard, in April there will be a meeting in the UK to discuss open source in schools, since it seems things are moving in the UK now. Funny thing to note, the lady who gave the talk said the old "Labour" government was big friends with 'big enterprises', and therefore open source in UK-government didn't happen, but now Labour is gone there's a chance! How's that for a TOS-violation... But rememer, I'm only quoting! |
| Ridcully Feb 14, 2011 5:54 PM EDT |
Thanks Hkwint, and that's very interesting. I think it was Tracyanne who remarked in an earlier thread that "Australia is a follower" in these matters......If the UK begins to move, perhaps.......One can only hope..... |
| tracyanne Feb 14, 2011 6:19 PM EDT |
I think it will take a lot to get Australia to abandon Microsoft, Australia seems to have a love affair with Windows, I'm not sure if it's somehow related to the famous Australian cringe (the idea that if it's Australian it is somehow too embarrassing or not good enough.. we seem to be an incredibly self conscious mob). On the other hand, outside of the Corporate and Public sector, there are an incredible number of small businesses building web applications with Free Software tools. |
| beirwin Feb 14, 2011 8:24 PM EDT |
"I think it will take a lot to get Australia to abandon Microsoft, Australia seems to have a love affair with Windows, I'm not sure if it's somehow related to the famous Australian cringe (the idea that if it's Australian it is somehow too embarrassing or not good enough.. we seem to be an incredibly self conscious mob)." I reckon it's the old colonial mentality and it's alive and well here in Canada, the land of Microsoft. Sigh. I ran into this prejudice when I was working and it was soooo frustrating. To be successful in Canada you gotta prove yourself outside the country first. |
| jezuch Feb 15, 2011 3:24 AM EDT |
Quoting:I reckon it's the old colonial mentality It may be... And not limited to strictly ex-colonies. Poland was a kind of puppet state of Russia for an awful long time and we have this attitude too. Which is sad because in the olden days Poland was a European superpower. |
| hkwint Feb 16, 2011 2:28 PM EDT |
Not only in the colonies... even the Finnish people obviously think their 'home invented Finnish software" isn't good enough for their biggest company. |
| gus3 Feb 16, 2011 3:56 PM EDT |
There's nobody greasing their palms to use it. |
| jezuch Feb 17, 2011 3:40 AM EDT |
Quoting:even the Finnish people Finland was a "colony" of Sweden and then Russia for all the history before finally declaring independence after WWI, AFAIK, so it's not much of a couterexample :) |
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