> The > real trouble started with Java, but mostly JavaFX, the final project > was in JavaFX so I had to use JavaFX SDK with OpenJDK in order to make > it work (but Oracle now don't have them separate, instead of that it > is necessary to install Oracle JavaSDK 7 to have access to JavaFX and > that is a shame).
Studying computer science I had no problems with Java (initially used Trisquel since it had a good Java IDE without nonfree dependencies, although I had used Emacs instead of such IDEs for Java programming). Never used JavaFX; Parabola has OpenJDK 7 available. > That year passed well, but I am really worried about the next 2 years > because of those technologies : > - Adobe Flash (for Multimedia Course) > - C# with Windows Forms (for Programming Course) > - DirectX (They start teaching OpenGL 2 years ago, then they switched > to Ogre and now they are teaching Directx.. Don't know if this will > change but still). > - Oracle and Microsoft SQLServer (Don't really know about the licence > of the first one, but the second one is really bothering me...) > (And I hope I don't forget any)... I had used C# on one course (with Mono in Trisquel on a personal machine, in Ubuntu on university's machines), not planning to do it again. Used Windows and VMware for two other courses, now I know some significant technical problems of these that I wouldn't know otherwise (I knew the ethical problems before, not the VMware business model making it harder to use). Often could choose between using a nonfree program and a free alternative (or a fountain pen), avoided one course using nonfree software before learning that it was very difficult (with big emphasis on working around bugs in that software or its documentation). From what I read it's much easier there, although maybe its theoretical kind of computer science is not what students usually discuss here. > I know that alternatives to the software that I listed exist, but they > won't change soon their ideas, and alone I can't do the difference > (I've tried believe me... but when everyone even the students are > against you and you even have difficulties to pay for you > studies... you don't have a lot of chances..). You can finish these courses and not recommend these programs in future (not difficult to do). You will get experience that might be useful with free software. (Learning on this forum that elsewhere higher education is usually paid. In Poland I hear that the only good universities are gratis.) > What are my rights ? What can I, and what can't I do in order to > continue studying and learning the same as other without having to use > those software (at least on my machines). I already failed to one > discipline because I didn't use a software for UML with the right > symbols that they wanted. I have courses only based on works done with > proprietary software (I don't mind to learn, but to be force to use > them is another thing). If you keep learning about freedom, you won't see such problems only in the choice of software. Here you can either find a different school (or none), or educate others about your beliefs and show them how it helps. I think both options might be beneficial (and there might be others). > I just hope that this long and badly wrote text didn't confused you. It was clear and interesting.
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