[Year 12 Its] Re: [Yr11 InformationTechnology]ProgrammingAwards2006: PD Regi

[Jack Matthews]

Behind you 100% Con Zymaris

I think it's ridiculous that schools are openly promoting a software brand 
(Microsoft).  In my opinion all schools should have access to alternatives, 
in particular Linux.

I also agree that VITTA & Microsoft should have allowed any language to be 
entered into the programming competition.  The fact that they only offered 
VB is a clear example of Microsoft's ulterior motives.

Get students hooked!

I know personally, that I have students that have entered the competition 
that would rather program in C++ or JAVA than VB.NET.

>From some of the posts I have read here, it is clear that possibly some feel 
very uncomfortable with the prospect of anything other that Microsoft.

Possibly a lack of exposure to anything else!!


and so the cycle goes on..........




>From: Con Zymaris <conz at cyber.com.au>
>Reply-To: "Year 12 Information Technology Systems Teachers' Mailing 
>List"<is at edulists.com.au>
>To: "Year 12 Information Technology Systems Teachers' Mailing 
>List"<is at edulists.com.au>
>Subject: Re: [Year 12 Its] Re: [Yr11 
>InformationTechnology]ProgrammingAwards2006: PD Registrations
>Date: Tue, 6 Jun 2006 12:11:11 +1000
>
>On Tue, Jun 06, 2006 at 11:43:23AM +1000, Kevork Krozian wrote:
> > Hi Con,
> >
> >    The three obvious question are:
> >
>
>Thanks for your thoughtful questions, Kevork.
>
> >     1. Are you aware of any efforts to initiate other programming
> > competitions through DET that have been blocked ? if not , why not offer
> > to promote and initiate a broader programming competition for schools
> > rather than call it non-Morosoft ?
>
>You bet.
>
>Several years ago, we approached DET to help push Wide Open Code, a
>programming competition focussed on open source tools and platforms.
>After many months of discussions, we acheived little in getting their
>assistance. We ran the competition anyway, but without broad DET support,
>we cannot hope to reach most schools and therefore most students.
>
>Remember, we don't have Microsoft's marketing muscle nor their deep
>pockets - we are all volunteers with a community focus. We need DET
>assistance to disseminate information and to publicise events more than
>Microsoft does.
>
> >
> >     2. What efforts have been made to offer other, non Microsoft
> > software to DET and where have these efforts led ?
>
>For over 4 years now, Open Source Victoria has made a concerted effort to
>get DET to look at alternatives to Microsoft platforms on the desktop.
>We've had meetings, emails, phone calls - nothing has happened in that
>time. Nothing looks like it's happening in the mid-term future.
>
>In addition, several years ago, the Ministerial Council on Education,
>Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (www.mceetya.edu.au) asked the
>state DETs to prepare guidelines for the adoption of open source software.
>Nothing came of that.
>
>More information? Whenever DET puts out a tender to supply software for
>desktop OSes and productivity software, the open source industry is not
>invited to bid for any of that business.
>
>Software refresh cycle after software refresh cycle, Microsoft is awarded
>the business without real competition. The last cycle gave Microsoft $23
>million:
>
>  
>http://www.tenders.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/eTenders/etdrPublishing.nsf/ContractsAll/693020B2BDD8448BCA256E2B00077E25?OpenDocument
>
>The reality is that the state Departments of Education are the most
>pro-Microsoft agencies in the country.
>
> >
> >     3. What industry and tertiary education uptake is there for
> > Microsoft and non Microsoft software ? If 95% of industry uses Microsoft
> > products, schools and DET would be negligent in not exposing students to
> > this community mainstream would they not ?
>
>For industry, 20% of the server industry is now Linux and open source. 70%
>of the web-development market is Linux and open source. 10% of office
>suites are now open source as are 10% of web browsers. All these segments
>are growing 300% faster than industry average. It's also worth reading
>this:
>
>  http://www.linuxtoday.com/developer/2006060202826OPMRDV
>
>As for universities, almost all Australian universities focus a major
>portion of their IT courses on Linux and open source software. If you care
>for references, I can point you to the lecturers themselves.
>
>Exposing students to Microsoft is not the problem. Feeding them a diet of
>almost nothing but Microsoft platforms, web-browsers, dev tools, office
>suites etc is the problem.
>
> >
> >
> >    Over to you
>
>Thanks again for the opportunity.
>
>
>Cheers,
>
>Con Zymaris
>
>- CEO, Cybersource Pty. Ltd.
>- Director, Open Source Industry Australia, Limited.
>- Convenor, Open Source Victoria (A Government-funded industry cluster.)
>
>--
>___________________________________________________________________________
>Con Zymaris <conz at cyber.com.au> Level 4, 10 Queen St, Melbourne, Australia
>Cybersource: Australia's Leading Linux and Open Source Solutions Company
>Web: http://www.cyber.com.au/  Phone: 03 9621 2377   Fax: 03 9621 2477
>
>
>_______________________________________________
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>and
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