Should we use proprietary software in public educational institutions?

[Daveski]

Just seen this article:

http://gyaku.jp/en/index.php?cmd=contentview&pid=000112

'An article late last month in Linux.com reported that "Linux and open source software are receiving increased interest within the educational sector as an alternative to Microsoft Windows Vista," noting that the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta), among others, warned of "lock-in" risks due to Microsoft's licensing programs. In Venezuela, the government has gone so far as to make it illegal ― by issue of a Presidential Decree ― to use proprietary software in public educational institutions, giving rise to several open-source movements'

Are there active movements to persuade educational institutions to move to open-source in your country? (Perhaps not to make it illegal NOT to!)

[izanbardprince]

Well, there's a reason that smaller countries are going free/open-source, two actually.

The first is that they don't have a lot of money and they really don't want to throw what little they have at a US company, and reason 2 is because Microsoft puts all kind of back doors into Windows that leave the OS wide open for government spy agencies like the NSA.

In the US, education costs a fortune, Microsoft practically gives Windows and Office away to teachers and students (like $5 a copy) to keep Linux at bay, they further donate computers to schools and libraries, pre-loaded with Windows, yes it helps entrench their monopoly, but we'd actually see little to no savings in switching these institutions over to Linux, still it's something that I feel should be done to maintain a healthy ecosystem, that is if Microsoft continues to marginalize Linux, then soon they could be the only show in town and do whatever they want.

[Polygon]

if a open source, free program, and the same program that is closed source and costs money, obviously the better choice in any aspect is the open source and free one.

[G Morgan]

Educational institutes should certainly use open standards but they should use whatever software they want within that basis.

At least their students can then do their work at home on any machine.

[userundefine]

Democracy is about transparency. I should not have to pay for access to information that my government provides by the grace of my taxes. If a government releases a document in any proprietary format (.doc or what have you), they're making me pay to access information I already own. If the government requires that I have a specific program (say, a browser) on my computer to use their website that I would have to pay for, like Internet Explorer, they are making me pay to access information I already own.

The access should be as transparent and open to all citizens as paper has been for the last 200 years. In my county, I work at the Register of Deeds (known as the Register, Registrar, or County Clerk in some states). This office handles birth, death, and marriage certificates, military discharges, and real property documents (deeds, deeds of trust, etc.). The oldest document we have goes back to 1771. Why can we still read it? Because paper is open. If today we switch over to a closed format, say, some kind of closed image format, in 50 years, will it be accessible? Will the citizens' most precious data be accessible? What right does the government have to close off access to public information through proprietary formats? There is no excuse. Democracy is about transparency. EVERY level of government (except Defense and Security) should have transparency in computing.

Education falls under this umbrella as well. Education should not be controlled by a specific company, and schools should be encouraging properly tutelage of computers, not Microsoft products. There is absolutely a difference. It's a broader way of thinking versus a more insular one.

[Slychilde]

No, it's a waste of my tax dollars and it even stunts education, in my opinion.

Ever notice that most schools require MS apps for some homework because that's what they 'teach' the kids? This applies to college as well. Just a speculation, but I bet it's because their students panic when confronted by something different (although miniscule), which they shouldn't be doing if they were being....taught. So, what are they teaching these people then? How to use a program or how to think for yourself, to use a computer, and learn. They are doing the former, but should be doing the latter.

[Bagboy23]

This debate can last an eternity. I've said it before and I'll say it again, technology implementations are carried out based on several factors. For government institutions it's based on TCO (total cost of ownership) and hidden costs while a smaller fraction will be based on ROI. For commercial firms it's based on all the above with a focus on ROI. Just because Linux maybe open-source and freely distributable doesn't always make it the best choice.

People who work in business integration will know what I am talking about.

Though I do agree, that proprietary document formats should be made open so that other applications can also implement the same formats, mainly open source applications.

[G Morgan]

This debate can last an eternity. I've said it before and I'll say it again, technology implementations are carried out based on several factors. For government institutions it's based on TCO (total cost of ownership) and hidden costs while a smaller fraction will be based on ROI. For commercial firms it's based on all the above with a focus on ROI. Just because Linux maybe open-source and freely distributable doesn't always make it the best choice.

People who work in business integration will know what I am talking about.

Though I do agree, that proprietary document formats should be made open so that other applications can also implement the same formats, mainly open source applications.

The EU blew the TCO arguments out of the window with their recent study. They showed using actual market figures rather than sponsored opinion that OSS is a cheaper solution in terms of TCO in more than 95% of cases.

Of course I don't mind if schools use MSO but they should install an ODF plugin and insist that students store files in ODF.

[Daveski]

In the US, education costs a fortune, Microsoft practically gives Windows and Office away to teachers and students (like $5 a copy) to keep Linux at bay, they further donate computers to schools and libraries, pre-loaded with Windows, yes it helps entrench their monopoly, but we'd actually see little to no savings in switching these institutions over to Linux, still it's something that I feel should be done to maintain a healthy ecosystem, that is if Microsoft continues to marginalize Linux, then soon they could be the only show in town and do whatever they want.

Soon?

[DoctorMO]

Bit too late that my friend. alas when was school really about teaching a well balanced education. if it were we'd have linux installed mainly out of educational benefit. after all you can't pipe a serial mouse to dsp on windows.

The openness, hmmm why do some people not care about this. it IS important and relegating it as something worthless isn't fair; we've seen it before that freedom once attained is valued so stop harping on about TCO there are more things in this world than money.

[moore.bryan]

as an educator in the states, i can let everyone know in my experiences the public school system is VERY resistant to linux/oss. the most common reason given is lack of knowledge by the tech folk themselves. all of them have the myriad of letter following their names, demonstrating their successful completion of ms-sponsored seminars, but seem unable to figure out linux.
as my own little revolutionary movement, i require my students to use openoffice to submit work, use gaim for out-of-school collaboration, etc. i've distributed several ubuntu copies and many of my students have made the switch; well, at least a half-switch... many are gamers, so they keep windows for some of the time.

[Bagboy23]

The EU blew the TCO arguments out of the window with their recent study. They showed using actual market figures rather than sponsored opinion that OSS is a cheaper solution in terms of TCO in more than 95% of cases.

Of course I don't mind if schools use MSO but they should install an ODF plugin and insist that students store files in ODF.


Can you provide a link to this source?

[G Morgan]

Can you provide a link to this source?

Link to EU study. (http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/ict/policy/doc/2006-11-20-flossimpact.pdf)

Here, it isn't short though. Stretches to 287 pages IIRC.

[argie]

Of course I don't mind if schools use MSO but they should install an ODF plugin and insist that students store files in ODF.

I agree strongly with the open standards argument. A student should have the right to use whatever program on whatever OS he wishes on his own computer to do his work.

Most 'computer science' education is extremely childish nonsense where I live. It's full of 'click the start button' and nonsense like that. The way it is currently taught, most of my classmates think Turbo C++ is the language. I've been asked, "Do you have C++?". At first I tried helping, but now, I just give up and say, "No." because I realised they refuse to work anything but Turbo C++ .