Jacqui Caren wrote:
> Roger Munford wrote:
>> http://www.itpro.co.uk/603639/becta-open-source-and-education-too-little-too-late/3
>
>
> Perhaps we ought to offer Barrett a bit of free installation and
> training...
>
>
> "But incredibly Barrett, the 'buying solution chief executive' for
> OGC, told the Committee: "I thought I would investigate the use of
> open source software on my personal computer at home. I got a licence,
> free of charge, but after three hours of struggling to retrain myself
> from many years of using Microsoft, I abandoned it. On a sample of
> one, me personally, it was more cost effective to stay with Microsoft.
> Those arguments, when magnified across the whole public sector, may
> well sway the balance against the open source software..."
>
>
What I find incredible is the way that statement strengthens the
argument against teaching use of microsoft products. How can someone
with that level of responsibility be so naive? I wonder what level of
competency he expected to achieve after 3 hours? How many hours did it
take him to learn ms office? If he was answering directly to me I'd want
to know how many dinners Bill had bought for him. At his hourly rate I
expect it would be more cost effective for him to pay someone else to
drive his computer for him! The same argument does not hold for my 8
year old daughter. grrrr
Will Davies
