● 12.16.08

●● ‘Microsoft’ University: Open Source Too Expensive

Posted in Free/Libre Software, Microsoft at 9:22 pm by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

For a little bit of background, see our previous posts about this ongoing mess at the ‘Open’ University (OU) [1, 2]. It was, on the face of it, sort of infiltrated by Microsoft. Here is the latest development, courtesy of Mark Ballard:

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↺ latest development

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> But the OU has refused to precipitate the wholesale switch of students from bought Microsoft software to (where appropriate) free open source alternatives because it would require too much effort and the costs would be too high at a time when the governments is squeezing student funding.

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How does it cost more to move to Free software? The lamest excuse is to say, “let’s save money by staying with Microsoft and refusing to change.” Is denying Free software now an issue of cost, as opposed to those legends of “readiness”, “reliability”, and “dependability”? Since the OU is located in the UK, someone ought to urge them to ask London hospitals about the cost of viruses (cost of lives too). What about the LSE, which was suspended at a critical time due to a major .NET crash? █

London hospitals about the cost of viruses

which was suspended at a critical time due to a major .NET crash

Look — but dare not touch — the abacus

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