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<p class=MsoNormal>Re: <span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'><a
href="http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24586362-2862,00.html"><span
style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Government to rework online plan</span></a><br>
</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:#6F6F6F'>Herald Sun, Australia -</span><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> Nov 1, 2008</span><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><br>
</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'>Under the $60.5 million "<b>ultranet</b>" initiative,
parents would be able to check marks, assignments and attendance details via
computer. <b>...</b></span><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Governments around the world hate the concept of open source
software even when it has emerged from the creative minds of their own
citizens. Rather than provide a potentially massive contribution to a
shared resource for the global educational community, they want to spend
millions of citizen dollars on reinventing the wheel.
“moodle” does most things required by the
“Ultranet”. It was developed in Perth and is now used
worldwide. It is the most popular system in UK schools and widely used in
Australia. Even many tertiary institutions are using it around the
world. Why not add extra features to this flexible free Australian tool ?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Advisors seem to whisper in politicians eager ears:
“You will have total control from purpose-built commercial software. If
we contribute to open source solutions, anyone will be able to benefit –
even poor countries ! We will design the Ultranet so well that everyone on
earth will want to buy it. We will make a profit !". The Australian
State Education Department of Victoria has an abysmal record of software
development and management over decades including the universally hated
“CASES” system which all schools are forced to use but whose
features most schools avoid using wherever possible. The attempt to
contract out an "UltraNet" is only the last debacle. The failed
tender process provides another chance to support Australian innovation and
contribute to a shared international resource. Let’s take it !<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>====================================================<br>
Stephen Digby, Learning Technology Manager<br>
mailto: </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><a
href="mailto:digby.stephen.p@edumail.vic.gov.au"><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>digby.stephen.p@edumail.vic.gov.au</span></a></span><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> <br>
Cheltenham Secondary College </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><a href="http://www.cheltsec.vic.edu.au"><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>www.cheltsec.vic.edu.au</span></a><br>
</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Ph: 613
955 55 955 Fx: 9555 8617 Mb: 0431-701-028<br>
====================================================</span><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><br>
Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. Salvor Hardin in
"Foundation by "Issac Asimov<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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