Ubuntu vs Freespire

[marc]

Eamonn Sullivan said...
> On 8/23/06, Alan Mckinnon <alan at linuxholdings.co.za> wrote:
> > On Wed, 2006-08-23 at 13:02 +0200, Sylvain Girard wrote:
> > > I think the issue is that the kids learn to use office in school. How
> > > close the openoffice functionality is to the ms office functionality,
> > > the interface isn't quite the same.
> >
> > If your kids can find their way around Office, then can't find their way
> > around OpenOffice, then they shouldn't be using the computer at all.
> > Seriously.
> >
> > You are making an issue out of something that simply isn't an issue at
> > all. You would never claim that they will not be able to use
> > Firefox/Konqueror/Epiphany/Galeon/SeaMonkey/Mozilla/Opera/Netscape
> > because they have already learned IE, right?
> 
> Don't jump on the OP for the idiocy of the educational system. In the
> U.K., it's the same. The teachers know nothing whatsoever about
> computers and just drill the students on step-by-step menu pecking in
> Microsoft Office and Windows, which the students then need to
> regurgitate to pass the national tests.
> 
> We're Windows-free at our house too and it's a problem. We have a Mac
> (and two Linux PCs), so at least they have some place to memorize the
> useless information about Word and Excel. But I'm making sure the kids
> can also do the same things in OpenOffice and try to expose them to a
> bit more about computers. One of them has taken an interest in Python,
> for example.
> 
> But it's a constant uphill battle. The schools are, more and more,
> locked into long-term, overpriced contracts to offer rented Windows
> computers. None of the universities that my eldest daughter
> investigated even offered Macs, and she's looking at *art* schools.
> Geezum. It's enough to drive you to despair. I can see why people
> resort to home schooling...
> 
> Sorry for the off-topic rant. It's something that has really bothered
> me for years. I'd join any effort to change that, but it's an
> incredibly high barrier right now in the U.K. and getting higher.

I'm in the UK. I'm also a member of the British Computer Society (BCS) - 
don't mock - amongst other things. I too feel strongly about the 
nonsense masquerading as computing being taught in schools. The best way 
to tackle this is, imo, to lobby an appropriate MP. I'm not sure what 
influence the BCS has over the school syllabuses, but they will 
certainly be able to point you in the right direction and offer 
contacts.

The attraction of FOSS to MPs, I suspect, is that is will save them a 
pot of cash - not just for software licences, but the fact that hardware 
will last much longer. Schools spend a huge sum on computing per annum 
relative to most things, and freeing that cash would be a gold mine for 
them - they could afford to buy books!

So, the schools win and MPs win - who will, of course, tell you that 
it's the tax payer who wins. And do the children suffer? :-)

Take a costed proposal to David Cameron's team. It'd fit right in with 
his political agenda.

This is the sort of conversation that should be going on in 
ubuntu.marketing, imo, or ubuntu.user.british, in this case.

-- 
Best,
Marc