On Fri, Oct 22, 2010 at 9:44 PM, tirveni yadav <[email protected]>wrote:
> On Wed, Oct 20, 2010 at 7:59 PM, Sharad Birmiwal > <[email protected]> wrote: > > Inline comments. > > > >> Last I checked, this thread was "AICTE signing agreement to make > students slaves > >> of Auto Desk, Microsoft". Not about comparison between proprietary > software and > >> software. Or whether some FLOSS alternative for a particular software > exists. > > > > Finally a reasonable post (thanks Triveni). > > > > "but don't > >> expect the educational institutes to make a software choice based on > your > >> prejudice for a piece of proprietary software." > > > > I think that is a very important point that has been said. > > > > > >> According to ET: Autodesk and Microsoft have become partner to deliver > free > >> access to development software and design software for institutions, > students > >> and faculty in the country. > >> > >> The issues being discussed here are: > > > > > >> > >> In my opinion, answer to these questions are: > >> a. Are students going to learn about software development/design > software? > >> => No. > > > > We cannot say that yet because we don't know what is in the package. > > If one of them make available a software development platform (which > > is likely) then my answer would change to yes. For those who don't > > know this yet, Microsoft is not Windows. Now, the "programming > > practices" that are inculcated may or may not be to my liking but that > > doesn't mean the answer in such a case would be no. > > Please go to these links > > Autodesk Page at AICTE: > http://www.aicte-india.org/bfreedownloadsadesk.html > > Microsoft Page at AICTE: > http://www.aicte-india.org/bfreedownloadsms.html > > I think students are only going to learn about these proprietary software. > > > > >> Are students going to learn about only the proprietary packages of > >> the companies? > >> => Yes. > > > > Of course yes! But I think this question does not serve much purpose. > > For example, if somebody is taught a FOSS application/package, is the > > person going to learn about only the FOSS application/package? I think > > the answer to that will be yes too. Mind you, the emphasis here was on > > "package" and not practice/idea/ideology. > > Are we saying that we advocate teaching of FOSS packages? > We are advocating freedom. It is about choice. > > Teach about spreadsheet application and let there be a choice between > OpenOffice Calc, MS Excel, KSpread, Lotus Symphony or any other > software. > > Agree but Just a modification ! Teach about spreadsheet application and let there be a choice between OpenOffice Calc, KSpread, LibreOffice etc whoso ever support OpenDocument Format. OpenStandards are must and more important then Opensource because opensource software anybody can write Inorder to fight with close source but it is very difficult to fight with close standards.. OpenStandards should be first criteria and OpenSource should be second ! OpenStandards are about process and working interoperability without vendor lock in but FOSS is a philosophy which may differ form person to person. Close Source software which on Open-standard software are very easy to fight and defeat. Excellent example is IE which was a close source software and working on open standard called HTML. > Teach database and let there be a choice between PostgreSQL, MySQL, > Sql Server etc. > > Teach CAD and let there be a choice between Blender, MAYA etc. > > > > > >> b. Do the students have any freedom to make changes to these packages if > they > >> wish they want a better program to use? > >> => No. > > > > I agree the answer would most likely be no. But that is not the > > intended purpose. I guess this may be reason enough to show dissent. > > > >> c. Are the students going to be dependent on these proprietary packages > and > >> become handicapped in their future career by only learning about these > >> packages and no idea of any alternatives possible? > >> => Yes. > > > > Let me again pose an alternate question. If students are made to use > > FOSS packages, will they be handicapped in their future career by only > > learning about those packages and no idea of any proprietary > > alternates? > > > > IMHO, the answer is yes again. > > > >> d. Do these companies gain unfair advantage in the market by these > practices? > >> => Yes. > > > > Yes! > > > >> e. Whether Autodesk and MS are being forced down the throat of the > students > >> (or future market)? > >> => Yes. > > > > I don't think this is true. The deal is to make available these tools > > for free. That means that most students don't have to worry about > > buying expensive softwares. It depends on the policies and > > school/college/university curriculum on whether they require certain > > software for learning or they wish to impart "ideas" in education. > > > > IMHO, FOSS can not be made popular by forcing it down the throats of > students. > > Do the students have any choice about which software they can use? > What if a student does a project on Blender?Is the project going to be > rejected by > the authorities because of > a. incompatibility of file formats with Autodesk > b. project created on a software not recommended by AICTE. > c. faculty being unaware of FOSS alternatives. > > > > > > What this thread has mostly reflected except probably a couple of > > rational posts is idle bashing instead of constructive criticism. I > > invite and encourage thoughts on the discussion at hand. > > > > > > SB > > > > -- > > l...@iitd - http://tinyurl.com/ycueutm > > > > > > -- > Regards, > > Tirveni Yadav > > > What is this Universe ? From what it arises ? Into what does it go? > In freedom it arises, In freedom it rests and into freedom it melts away. > Upanishads. > > -- > l...@iitd - http://tinyurl.com/ycueutm > -- ┌─────────────────────────┐ │ Narendra Sisodiya │ http://narendrasisodiya.com └─────────────────────────┘ -- l...@iitd - http://tinyurl.com/ycueutm
