Schools warned away from Microsoft - bit-tech.net Forums

CardJoe · 29th Oct 2007, 11:31

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/10...ying_values_/1

Becta, the UK computer agency for the government, is advising schools to stay away from Microsoft software due to licensing problems with both Vista and Office 2007.

BioSniper · 29th Oct 2007, 11:36

You may want to link the correct thread to the article, it currently points to the one about the shoe mod.

iwog · 29th Oct 2007, 11:36

The link in the news post links to some random thread not this one

mikeuk2004 · 29th Oct 2007, 11:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by CardJoe

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/10...ying_values_/1

Becta, the UK computer agency for the government, is advising schools to stay away from Microsoft software due to licensing problems with both Vista and Office 2007.

That link directs use to "Virtual worlds destroying values?" article.

Anyway, what are they suggesting schools use instead??? Lotus??

steveo_mcg · 29th Oct 2007, 11:46

We used the venerable system 6 back in the day moving to system 7 in 5th year.
"Any machine capable of running the software" so would that mean any Intel macs would need Vista licences even if they only ran OSX?

UncertainGod · 29th Oct 2007, 11:47

They are just suggesting schools outright buy licenses instead of taking the education site license as it's a bit of a con.

Buzzons · 29th Oct 2007, 14:06

MS are just being on the safe side. If a school hsa 300 PCs, and only 10 Office licenses.. what would stop the school installing those 10, 30 times each? The EDU license is actually quite good for schools in the UK.. as are the products you get from them.

Any secondary school doing CompSci or IT GCSEs or ALevels will need Office and VS.Net .. else it will just fail. Plus, home pcs come with office etc... so it would be asking all the home users to download openoffice/gimp/eclipse etc etc.. which may a) not be possible b) is just stupid c) would add to incompatibilities that people won't know how to fix.

All in all, a stupid idea. Up MS! :-)

Tyinsar · 29th Oct 2007, 15:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Article

What software did your school use and what was the first software you learnt to use?

Apple 2

I'd love to see schools go to Linux & Open Office (or even Windows & Open Office) - I bet MS would start giving software to schools just to keep the momentum Office has.

wolff000 · 29th Oct 2007, 15:51

I started with dos. It was great it did what i told nothing more nothing less. I didn't have to turn off a lot background garbage or services I didn't use. Things simply turned on when I told them to and off when they were done. Ah for the days when only people that knew what they were doing used computers. Anyways I think this is a good move MS continually rapes schools with their current licensing plan. As far as compatibility simply teach the students how to save in a office friendly format it is built into open office can't speak for the other alternatives.

Mankz · 29th Oct 2007, 16:00

We've got Vista Bussiness and Office '07 running on the school PC's.

P4 + 512Mb + Vista = Hour Glass of death!

Nexxo · 29th Oct 2007, 17:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeuk2004

Anyway, what are they suggesting schools use instead??? Lotus??

Tyinsar has the answer:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyinsar

I'd love to see schools go to Linux & Open Office...

Obvious, really.

righteous_slave · 29th Oct 2007, 17:46

This is one of the rare instances where I stray from the capitalist manifesto. Bill needs to go tell his lawyers to remove thier heads from thier backsides and cut the schools a serious, realistic deal. It is way too Monday for me to come up with such a plan, but say X number of licences per 100 students. Period. I don't know how the subscription method mentioned works, but I can almost guarantee it sucks and is poorly managed on both ends of the deal.

If M$ refuses, the schools need to get over their technophobia and move to Linux or OSX. Windows is not the only game in town, and they need to be reminded of that.

Side note, our Apple IIe and IIc at school ran DOS. Green screens, giant black floppy disks, the whole nine yards.

Blademrk · 29th Oct 2007, 18:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buzzons

Plus, home pcs come with office etc... so it would be asking all the home users to download openoffice/gimp/eclipse etc etc..

Not many Home PC's come with MS Office (usually it's MS Works that gets bundled, which is no substitute really).
I find it strange (read annoying) that the Home/Student pack doesn't include Access.

Nexxo · 29th Oct 2007, 19:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by righteous_slave

This is one of the rare instances where I stray from the capitalist manifesto. Bill needs to go tell his lawyers to remove thier heads from thier backsides and cut the schools a serious, realistic deal. It is way too Monday for me to come up with such a plan, but say X number of licences per 100 students. Period. I don't know how the subscription method mentioned works, but I can almost guarantee it sucks and is poorly managed on both ends of the deal.

If M$ refuses, the schools need to get over their technophobia and move to Linux or OSX. Windows is not the only game in town, and they need to be reminded of that.

QFT.

Quote:

Originally Posted by righteous_slave

Side note, our Apple IIe and IIc at school ran DOS. Green screens, giant black floppy disks, the whole nine yards.

Our secondary school (computers did not yet exist when I was in primary school) obtained three Commodore CBM 4032 machines with casette tape loaders, later joined by three Commodore CBM 8032 machines. Built like tanks, they actually had a couple of decent BASIC games for them. Ah, the memories...

Mankz · 29th Oct 2007, 19:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nexxo

Our secondary school (computers did not yet exist when I was in primary school) obtained three Commodore CBM 4032 machines with casette tape loaders, later joined by three Commodore CBM 8032 machines. Built like tanks, they actually had a couple of decent BASIC games for them. Ah, the memories...

Now those are some proper PC's!

Hells_Bliss · 29th Oct 2007, 19:36

since the link wasn't fixed and since bit uses a naming convention for their articles...here's the actual link

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/10...om_microsoft/1

GoodBytes · 29th Oct 2007, 22:11

Quote:

We've got Vista Bussiness and Office '07 running on the school PC's.

Us too... it's pretty cool, and Areo is ON! So far I fell into no issues.
They installed it on Dell built computers
- Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0Ghz
- 2GB of RAM
- Intel integrated graphics

29th Oct 2007, 11:31	#1
CardJoe Player Character bit-tech Staff Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 7,940	Schools warned away from Microsoft http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/10...ying_values_/1 Becta, the UK computer agency for the government, is advising schools to stay away from Microsoft software due to licensing problems with both Vista and Office 2007. __________________ this is joe's non-bit-tech blog

29th Oct 2007, 11:36	#2
BioSniper I Mod, Therefore I Own Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Somewhere in the south Posts: 3,454	You may want to link the correct thread to the article, it currently points to the one about the shoe mod. __________________ My Flickr :: Bit-tech Flickr Wii: 1792 1527 2926 7945 :: Xbox Live: BioSnipr :: PSN: Biosnipr

29th Oct 2007, 11:36	#3
iwog Linux cursed Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: IoW, UK Posts: 708	The link in the news post links to some random thread not this one __________________ Welcome to bit-tech, watch out for thread drift Things can only get better

29th Oct 2007, 11:46	#5
steveo_mcg What owl? Join Date: May 2005 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 3,975	We used the venerable system 6 back in the day moving to system 7 in 5th year. "Any machine capable of running the software" so would that mean any Intel macs would need Vista licences even if they only ran OSX? __________________ No boom today, boom tomorrow... there's always a boom tomorrow.

29th Oct 2007, 11:47	#6
UncertainGod Still Alive Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Southampton Posts: 1,142	They are just suggesting schools outright buy licenses instead of taking the education site license as it's a bit of a con. __________________ Twitter Tumblr Blog Last.fm "What role do you want to play, I'm just a click away night or day"

29th Oct 2007, 14:06	#7
Buzzons Mod Master Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 2,086	MS are just being on the safe side. If a school hsa 300 PCs, and only 10 Office licenses.. what would stop the school installing those 10, 30 times each? The EDU license is actually quite good for schools in the UK.. as are the products you get from them. Any secondary school doing CompSci or IT GCSEs or ALevels will need Office and VS.Net .. else it will just fail. Plus, home pcs come with office etc... so it would be asking all the home users to download openoffice/gimp/eclipse etc etc.. which may a) not be possible b) is just stupid c) would add to incompatibilities that people won't know how to fix. All in all, a stupid idea. Up MS! :-)

29th Oct 2007, 15:51	#9
wolff000 I am here to steal your secrets. Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Never-never Land Posts: 196	I started with dos. It was great it did what i told nothing more nothing less. I didn't have to turn off a lot background garbage or services I didn't use. Things simply turned on when I told them to and off when they were done. Ah for the days when only people that knew what they were doing used computers. Anyways I think this is a good move MS continually rapes schools with their current licensing plan. As far as compatibility simply teach the students how to save in a office friendly format it is built into open office can't speak for the other alternatives. __________________ The gospel accordong to Myamoto, Chatper three, verse six..."And it is written that the gaming of man will die, and rest silent for two years. But on the eighty-fifth year of the twentieth century, it shall rise again. And its triumphant return shall be heralded by two great plumbers and thou will know gaming has been born again."

29th Oct 2007, 17:46	#12
righteous_slave I know what a bloody Dremel is Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 59	This is one of the rare instances where I stray from the capitalist manifesto. Bill needs to go tell his lawyers to remove thier heads from thier backsides and cut the schools a serious, realistic deal. It is way too Monday for me to come up with such a plan, but say X number of licences per 100 students. Period. I don't know how the subscription method mentioned works, but I can almost guarantee it sucks and is poorly managed on both ends of the deal. If M$ refuses, the schools need to get over their technophobia and move to Linux or OSX. Windows is not the only game in town, and they need to be reminded of that. Side note, our Apple IIe and IIc at school ran DOS. Green screens, giant black floppy disks, the whole nine yards. __________________ You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. Romans 6:18

29th Oct 2007, 19:36	#16
Hells_Bliss Supermodder Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: NC, USA Posts: 548	since the link wasn't fixed and since bit uses a naming convention for their articles...here's the actual link http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/10...om_microsoft/1 __________________ Asus P5N32-SLi Extreme, Intel Conroe E6600 @ 2.4GHz, 4GB Corsair XMS2 @ 1060MHz, eVGA GeForce 8800 GTX @ 621MHz, 2 WD 250GB 7200RPM HDD's, Creative Soundblaster Fatal1ty pro