Re: [seul-edu] Re: [OS:N:] MS targeting schools for software audits...

[tom poe <tompoe@renonevada.net>]

Hi:  Noble, and most true, but what at what cost to the students?  It could 
take millions, will take millions out of the school systems, just in 
administrative costs for the audits.
Thanks,
Tom Poe
Reno, NV
http://www.studioforrecording.org/
http://www.ibiblio.org/studioforrecording/
http://renotahoe.pm.org

On Monday 22 April 2002 11:28, Janina Sajka wrote:
> More power to Microsoft. Let them audit and submit their huge
> invoices. Perhaps the schools will
> then begin to understand that there is substance and
> value in FREE software--that our arguments are not just theory.
>
> Ready, aim, fire .....
>
>
>
>                                 Ouch! That was my foot!!
>
> On 22 Apr 2002, Paul Nelson wrote:
> > The 24 largest school districts in Oregon and Washington are being
> >
> > audited my the Microsoft marketing department for license
>
> compliance.
>
> > Along with the letter from MS came an invitation to lease software
>
> from
>
> > MS as part of a school agreement that requires MS licenses for
>
> every
>
> > Pentium and PPC computer, even those running Linux or Mac OS.
> >
> > Steve Duin, a writer for the Oregonian has a column at:
>
> http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/steve_duin/index.ssf?/xml/story.ss
>f/html_standard.xsl?/base/all_wire_stories/101386428029222529.xml
>
> > If that url is too long try this one:
> > http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/steve_duin/
> >
> > Portland Public Schools, after a successful test of K12LTSP in one
> >
> > middle school, is installing K12LTSP in 10 more labs this week.
>
> They
>
> > have plans for 100 more next year.
> >
> > To give you an idea of the scale of the problem facing a large
>
> district
>
> > like PPS, they have 25,000 PCs. A MS school agreement lease of
>
> software
>
> > could cost the district over $1,000,000 a year. Just buying a
>
> virus
>
> > package would cost $250,000 a year.
> >
> > Use of K12LTSP and other open source, free software is a viable
> > alternative. Schools are starting to figure this out.
> >
> > Quoting Steve Duin and Scott Robinson, CIO of PPS in the article
>
> above,
>
> > "... Thus, it's not surprising that several schools are asking,
>
> along
>
> > with Robinson in Portland, "whether we want to continue with the
> > Microsoft platform."
> > ..."
> >
> > If there ever was a time when using Linux on desktops in schools
>
> and
>
> > public agencies makes sense, it's NOW when MS is shooting itself
>
> in the
>
> > foot with predatory pricing practices.
> >
> > What can you do?
> >
> > DOWNLOAD a free copy of K12LTSP, get together with your local
>
> Linux User
>
> > Group and plan a demonstration for your local schools.
> > http://k12ltsp.org/download.html
> >
> > TALK with your local government and school leaders and let them
>
> know
>
> > that you expect fiscal responsibility when it comes to buying
>
> software.
>
> > Review their purchasing guidelines to see if open source solutions
>
> are
>
> > given priority over proprietary solutions.
> >
> > DEMONSTRATE - Offer open houses for schools and government
>
> agencies to
>
> > showcase open source success. If we all did this on the same day
>
> all
>
> > over the country we could make a bigger splash. We released
>
> K12LTSP 1.0
>
> > on July 4th last year and had a standing room only open house.
> >
> > We have better software because it comes from a more effective and
>
> more
>
> > responsive development model. Users are encouraged to collaborate
>
> and
>
> > improve the code. This represents a paradigm shift that may be
>
> hard to
>
> > understand for many. We have to demonstrate success stories and
>
> let
>
> > folks know that the open source revolution is not a fluke. It's
>
> just a
>
> > better way of producing the software we all use every day.
> >
> > ;-) Paul
> > K12LTSP.org
>
> --
>
>                                 Janina Sajka, Director
>                                 Technology Research and Development
>                                 Governmental Relations Group
>                                 American Foundation for the Blind
> (AFB)
>
> Email: janina@afb.net           Phone: (202) 408-8175
>
> Chair, Accessibility SIG
> Open Electronic Book Forum (OEBF)
> http://www.openebook.org