On 12/18/05, Daniel Carrera <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Chad Smith wrote: > > 2a) MS Office can run on a Mac > > You miss the point. You have to pay for the software regardless of > whether you have it on your computer or not. You have to pay for > machines that have *no* MS software on them. This has a huge lock-in > effect.
I never denied the lock-in factor. In fact, I'm sure that's what makes it a good deal on MS's end, it's why they would be willing to sell liscences at say $50 a pop instead of $150. That, and it's better to get $50 a pop than nothing (through pricacy or losing them to a competitor). The point I was trying to make, though, is the school has a legal right to install MSO on all their computers. Whether or not they do is entirely up to them. > 3) These type of agreements can, and usually do, in fact, save the > schools > > money. > > I see you're good and copying and pasting from Microsoft's website. Actually, it's obvious that it will save them money - if they planned on using MSO anyway. This > agreement only saves you money if you use 100% Microsoft software, which > takes us back to the lock-in factor. It makes it *VERY* difficult to > switch to something else. I know. That's why it's attractive from MS's standpoint. It's attractive to schools because (a) it's cheaper than buying them individually and (b) no lisencing worries - all their computers are covered. Second, this agreement is *ILLEGAL*. Do you condone breaking the law? #1 - no one has proved its illegal in Norway yet. #2 - there are plenty of laws that I don't agree with - just because something is illegal in one country doesn't mean it's morally wrong. Just because it's illegal in *EVERY* country doesn't mean it's wrong. I don't base morality on legality. Do I believe breaking the law is morally wrong? Yes, most of the time. But their are times when obeying the law can be morally wrong. Look at Ghandi, Rosa Parks, the protestor in Tiananmen Square, the Underground Railroad, Oskar Schindler - they all broke the law - and it was the right thing to do. I'm not saying Microsoft is Rosa Parks - not at all. What I am saying is, "Yes, there are instances when I *DO* condone breaking the law." It's not nearly as black and white as you are trying to make it. What's your experience in the education sector? Here we have other > people who have been managing or auditing schools for living about as > long as you've been around. Consider their experience. Consider their bias. They have spent their time trying to sell service agreements for their company - and have made a pretty penny doing so (as one so loudly bragged recently). If the schools buy MSO directly from Microsoft, the auditor/computer dealer doesn't get money. If they buy computers from the auditor/computer dealer, which have a free copy of OOo on there, the auditor/computer dealer gets money. Either way - enter a per-seat contract with MS or buy a bunch of computers with OOo from the auditor/computer dealer - it's about profit. Now, does buying a few computers from the auditor/computer dealer with OOo, and gaining the knowledge of OOo's existance - does that save the school money as opposed to the per-seat contract with MS? I wouldn't doubt it. But it's not like the auditor/computer dealer is completely neatrual in this. I, on the other hand, who do not work for Microsoft, own stock in Microsoft - OR - sell computers to schools - have nothing to gain either way. That being said, I'd like to see schools switch to OOo - because I *do* pay taxes, and I'd like to see that money go into other places than Microsoft - like maybe back into my pocket. Also I believe that computer education should be more well rounded, instead of teaching Microsoft Excel - schools should teach How to use a Spreadsheet. I feel the same way against teaching OOo Calc, btw - it should be more general, not as application-version-software specific. It's should be the general principles of computer use, not how to do this exact thing with this exact software. So computers at schools should have several different office suites - including as many as they can get for free. -- - Chad Smith http://www.gimpshop.net/ Because everyone loves free software!
