[Opensource] eLearning Planning

[Roland Gesthuizen]

".. given to mothers of newly born babies!" (just spotted the gaff)
Time to read the kids another story ..

On 13/08/07, Roland Gesthuizen <rgesthuizen at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Am I to be prevented me from supporting some of our very poor parents when
> we support software solutions that save them money or allow them to recycle
> an old computer?
>
> Our Khmer students can only use Open Office. We have installed it on all
> our school computers and it happy works alongside all the other software.
>
> Our sister school in Cambodia doesnt need charity discount software. It
> needs money to clear mines. Letting them get on with using and developing
> KhmerOS gives them this.
>
> This sounds almost as unsavory as a past hospital practice of distributing
> "free samples" of milk from a pharmaceutical company to new born mothers. We
> are rightly concerned when this continues to happen in third world
> companies.
>
> We should be worried by any commercial software vendor that promotes an
> injurious subsidization, hostile pricing or distribution scheme.
>
> Free milk? Get real.
>
> Regards Roland
>
> On 04/08/07, Pia Waugh <greebo at pipka.org> wrote:
> >
> > <quote who="Cameron Bell">
> >
> > >    * Networking software, including network managing programs and
> > >      anti-virus software
> > >    * Microsoft licensed software and standard applications
> > >    * Software that is used for eLearning.
> >
> > I've just recently found out (and I can't quote my source unforunately)
> > that
> > several prominent organisations in education have an agreement with
> > Microsoft that means they get even cheaper versions of MS Office if they
> >
> > agree to not use any competing office solutions (such as Open Office). I
> > can't verify this at the moment, but I thought it would be worth
> > raising. If
> > this is true in any of your schools, Government departments or other,
> > then
> > it should be tracked down.
> >
> > Not only is it anti-competitive, but it is also removing the opportunity
> > for
> > students to learn anything apart from MS Office, which means they are
> > learning products, not concepts. It also discriminates against poorer
> > students that can't afford to purchase MS products at home to do their
> > homework.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Pia
> >
> > --
> > Software Freedom Day 2007                   http://softwarefreedomday.org/
> >
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> >
>
>
>
> --
> Roland Gesthuizen - ICT Coordinator - Westall Secondary College
> http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au
>
> "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
> change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has." --Margaret
> Mead




-- 
Roland Gesthuizen - ICT Coordinator - Westall Secondary College
http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change
the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has." --Margaret Mead
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