Microsoft makes another play for UK schools
'Pub sec, get your discounted licensing here'
Microsoft yesterday made a strategic move to draw a line under a fiery spat with the UK's education technology agency over the software multinational's attempts to get Office 2007 into British classrooms.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/09/17/microsoft_uk_schools_licensing_becta/
Many old episodes can be seen by checking the "related stories" at the bottom of the above article.
Next episode:
"Becta green lights open source software in schools, at last"
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/09/23/becta_open_source_schools_at_last/
"Becta green lights open source software in schools, at last"
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/09/23/becta_open_source_schools_at_last/
Who didn't like it? Washington?
I'm sorry to say this. I have the feeling that UK affairs are decided in Washington - at least during the Bush-Blair-affair.
I would very much like to know how you perceive these things:
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2008/05/14/becta_ec_indirect_investigation/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/01/11/becta_vista/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/10/19/becta_reports_ms_schools_deal/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/03/07/becta_ms_deal/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/01/12/becta_schools_vista/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/01/08/becta_ec_complaint/
I'm sorry to say this. I have the feeling that UK affairs are decided in Washington - at least during the Bush-Blair-affair.
I would very much like to know how you perceive these things:
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2008/05/14/becta_ec_indirect_investigation/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/01/11/becta_vista/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/10/19/becta_reports_ms_schools_deal/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/03/07/becta_ms_deal/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/01/12/becta_schools_vista/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/01/08/becta_ec_complaint/
Hi Frances
My statement, rather feeling, comes from topics which a far too off topic here. For example, UK has apparently signed a one-sided extradition treaty with USA. Their private security personell, black cats?, return from abroad happily with murder charges but this McKinnon, who cracked the computers of US Defense _from home in London_ will be extradicted to US with prospects of landing in Guantanamo. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4715612.stm
As already stated, this has something to do with the "very special relationship" between Bush and Blair. That wasnt't the case during Ms. Thatcher's regime - again my personal estimation.
I don't have a clue about Becta, except for those random news blobs I've cited earlier. I would very much like to know, how you people on site see those events.
My statement, rather feeling, comes from topics which a far too off topic here. For example, UK has apparently signed a one-sided extradition treaty with USA. Their private security personell, black cats?, return from abroad happily with murder charges but this McKinnon, who cracked the computers of US Defense _from home in London_ will be extradicted to US with prospects of landing in Guantanamo. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4715612.stm
As already stated, this has something to do with the "very special relationship" between Bush and Blair. That wasnt't the case during Ms. Thatcher's regime - again my personal estimation.
I don't have a clue about Becta, except for those random news blobs I've cited earlier. I would very much like to know, how you people on site see those events.
VR, Hew Griffiths was extradited in 2007 to USA for copyright infringement allegedly committed in Australia, sentenced to 51 months in US prison (less 3 years already served in Australia) having never visited USA before.
"Software piracy undermines the stability of the burgeoning e-commerce industry and it is a direct threat to innovative companies that help strengthen the U.S. economy." — Deputy U.S. Treasury Secretary Kenneth Dam
"Open Source" threatens the revenue streams of exactly the same businesses that were hurt by Drink-or-Die.
I guess if we really want to preserve our freedom to code in Australia (and other nice places) for the good of the industry, economy and community, we need to inform, persuade and shame USA lawmakers and opinion leaders.
Russell
Hi Russel
Do you mean this love affair is not limited to UK but goes for the whole commonwealth?
If anybody in the corridors of power in the US has a clue about handling digital freedom, that is the Obama-troupe. I'm waiting to hear how the copilots fare http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7647986.stm
The big question is, once the current hurricanes fade, what will be left to talk with http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7645743.stm
That is the worst-case szenario, having to talk to the dictators in Beijing about digital freedom.
Do you mean this love affair is not limited to UK but goes for the whole commonwealth?
If anybody in the corridors of power in the US has a clue about handling digital freedom, that is the Obama-troupe. I'm waiting to hear how the copilots fare http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7647986.stm
The big question is, once the current hurricanes fade, what will be left to talk with http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7645743.stm
That is the worst-case szenario, having to talk to the dictators in Beijing about digital freedom.
Hi Russel
> Hew Griffiths was extradited in 2007 to USA for copyright infringement allegedly committed in Australia, sentenced to 51 months in US prison (less 3 years already served in Australia) having never visited USA before.
At least some UK MPs are resisting http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7707778.stm may be this is the end of Bush-Blair "specail relationship".
> Hew Griffiths was extradited in 2007 to USA for copyright infringement allegedly committed in Australia, sentenced to 51 months in US prison (less 3 years already served in Australia) having never visited USA before.
At least some UK MPs are resisting http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7707778.stm may be this is the end of Bush-Blair "specail relationship".
BECTA haven't approved or disapproved any VLE (for want of a better phrase). What they have done is approve the people/companies who provide the VLE's. There are several reasons for this; financial stability/probity being one of them. The Moodle model doesn't sit too easily with this. Moodle doesn't provide a help desk, i.e. a "Support Hotline", and before you point to the magnificent support provided on these forums, BECTA are looking at this slightly differently. They want to see dedicated support with Service Level Agreements (SLA's) and with all the will in the world, Moodle doesn't offer this type of support.
BECTA has nothing against Moodle. They have recommended ten suppliers in the first round. It will soon be mandatory for secondary (high) schools to have a VLE, but it doesn't have to be from this list. CLEO (Cumbria & Lancashire Education Organization) have set up their own dedicated servers running individual Moodle sites for every school in their area, should they wish to take it. In my LEA (Local Education Authority) I know of two schools, ours being one of them, using Moodle, despite being offered a commercial product for three years at very little cost to the school.
There is a Harnessing Technology fund which should be distributed to schools. I don't know the figures for this yet, but it's not peanuts. If any school wishes to go with Moodle can I suggest they use some of this funding to buy in a Moodle Partner to investigate the best way forward for their particular school.
BECTA has nothing against Moodle. They have recommended ten suppliers in the first round. It will soon be mandatory for secondary (high) schools to have a VLE, but it doesn't have to be from this list. CLEO (Cumbria & Lancashire Education Organization) have set up their own dedicated servers running individual Moodle sites for every school in their area, should they wish to take it. In my LEA (Local Education Authority) I know of two schools, ours being one of them, using Moodle, despite being offered a commercial product for three years at very little cost to the school.
There is a Harnessing Technology fund which should be distributed to schools. I don't know the figures for this yet, but it's not peanuts. If any school wishes to go with Moodle can I suggest they use some of this funding to buy in a Moodle Partner to investigate the best way forward for their particular school.
The Harnessing Technology funding should have been released to you at the start of this financial year. It is dependant on the roll number of school and should be given out in decreasing amounts over the next three years.
The funding is ring-fenced, and as such, you will need to check carefully with your LEA what you can and can not spend it on.
In the first draft of the funding, it was only allowed to be spent on hardware costs, and no software or support contacts where allowed to be bought with it. Since then I believe that the regulations have been eased and software is now allowed to be purchased from this funding. I am not too sure if you would be allowed to spend this on a support arrangement with a Moodle Partner however.
The funding is ring-fenced, and as such, you will need to check carefully with your LEA what you can and can not spend it on.
In the first draft of the funding, it was only allowed to be spent on hardware costs, and no software or support contacts where allowed to be bought with it. Since then I believe that the regulations have been eased and software is now allowed to be purchased from this funding. I am not too sure if you would be allowed to spend this on a support arrangement with a Moodle Partner however.
Thanks for the swift reply Jon. I obviously made a mistake about the funding, which was somewhat coloured by this extract taken from an email sent by our LEA's BSF "negotiator"
"A note confirming your willingness to have the (number of pupils x £2.75 per year) deducted from your allocation via Harnessing technology."
This would include,
"2 central training days and an initial school consultancy visit are included in the overall contract (Normally £700 per day) "
Ah OK.. I suppose then that they could claim the charge was for the software / provision of the VLE and they were throwing the training in for free...
Personally I was hoping they would leave the restrictions as the first were. Seems to me that by giving schools money and saying you can only spend this on hardware to meet the Harnessing Technology guidelines was a great way to make more schools look at open source solutions... I guess that the LEAs and proprietary software companies have lobbied BECTA to change the limitations...
Personally I was hoping they would leave the restrictions as the first were. Seems to me that by giving schools money and saying you can only spend this on hardware to meet the Harnessing Technology guidelines was a great way to make more schools look at open source solutions... I guess that the LEAs and proprietary software companies have lobbied BECTA to change the limitations...