+1, but otoh.... On Tue, Apr 12, 2011 at 8:12 PM, jtd <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Tuesday 12 April 2011 17:32:30 Pravin Dhayfule wrote: > > > Subject: [Feedback] Draft of National Policy on ICT in Education > > To: [email protected], [email protected], > > [email protected] > > > > > > Honorable Panel, > > > > I am not an educationalist, just an IT Deployment SME from India. > > Why are you apologetic. You have every right to demand. It's YOUR > money they plan on squandering. > > > 1. Section 5.3.1 reads "Graphics and animation, desktop publishing, > > web designing, > > databases, and programming tools have the potential of increasing > > the range of skills and > > conceptual knowledge of the students and teachers. A judicious mix > > of software will be > > introduced in schools to keep Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) to the > > minimum." > > The aim of an ICT policy is not merely to keep TCO low (not deploying > such stuff would then seem perfect, having no TCO at all.) but to > ensure seamless skill development in all aspects of computing and > software, including local content creation and modification. > Consequently, the ability of FOSS software to be studied in depth, > modified and improved, allows a user to gain far more skill and > knowledge than a closed software. > > Further it must be stressed that software is a continuosly moving > target, with newer and better features, techniques and principles > being introduced on a continuos basis. Closed source software are > very niggardly in releasing newer features and invariably charge > substantial money for new product versions, primarily by not > upgrading older products. Thus even if closed software were offered > free of cost, it imposes several penalties on the user. > > Since the student and teachers alike will be spending a lot of time engaged in learning how to use and modify open systems, which they won't be able to do with proprietaryware, the cost of ownership of FOSS will truly be incalculable. Plus they may (horrors!) enjoy doing so, which goes against the grain. As JTD comments, the best way to keep the TCO zero is to spend nothing on education at all. This seems to be the preferred objective in any case, given our national priorities. -- Vickram Fool On The Hill <http://communicall.wordpress.com>
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