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Windows on an iMac (says the invoice); Red Hat's Alternative

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the two-sides-to-every-story dept.

A user writes "According to a story at The Register, schools who want to take advantage of educational bulk licensing agreements with Microsoft have to count all PCs (and Macs!), even those not running Windows." One package of software applies to all installed PCs and Macs, including those running Linux or BSD, so schools end up paying for stations that Windows (and other programs) cannot or do not run on. Microsoft's justification is that the agreement requires an "institution-wide commitment." Coincidentally, bc90021 points out that "RedHat announced its Linux Pilot Program for schools today. Designed to improve the overall learning experience for children, seven North Carolina school districts have already joined. One county director is quoted as saying: 'With the money we saved from not buying proprietary licenses, the school district purchased additional resources that directly [a]ffected the learning experience of our students and brought us into the 21st century.'"

4 of 580 comments (clear)

  1. Is an AMD a Pentium? by MagnaMark · · Score: 5, Interesting
    From the article:

    In the US "Microsoft Schools Agreement 3.0," for example, "100 per cent of all Pentiums, Power Macs, iMacs or better" are specified, whereas the FAQ document for the UK Microsoft School Agreement says "You need to count 100% of all Pentiums, Power Macs and iMacs."

    So AMD's are OK? Phew!

  2. Re:Are we teaching the kids... by Dephex+Twin · · Score: 4, Interesting

    For kids who want to learn what makes computers tick, sure.

    In driver's ed you don't learn to build a car, you learn to drive it. Likewise, in junior high/high school computer class you learn to operate a computer, not program it.

    Kids who want to delve into computers further should be able to do so, in specialty courses.

    Not to say that the general classes should be Windows. I think you'd have more kids be genuinely excited to use computers if they were Macs, because Mac OS (X) is just such a pleasing, non-intimidating platform.

    mark

    --

    If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe. -- Carl Sagan
  3. Yeah, it sucks, but did you look at the pricing? by Corporate+Drone · · Score: 5, Interesting
    OK, it strikes a nerve to see them set those kinds of terms and conditions, but look at the prices:

    Windows upgrades $18

    Core $15

    Office $24

    all three of the above $48

    SQL server, Visio, FrontPage, Project, Publisher $5 (each)

    Vis Studio $2

    Looking at their education main page, I believe that this is an annual license fee. However, let's assume you're the head of I.T. for a school district. Do you really think you're going to get a better deal than that for those licenses?

    Don't think so. So, you swallow your indignation (if you have any), and buck up...

    --
    mmm... yeah... You see, we're putting the cover sheets on all TPS reports now before they go out...
  4. Re:How much money can be saved . . . by mpe · · Score: 4, Interesting

    MS brought in the idea of 'training for business'. Instead of just using a word processor to produce a report or essay it became 'necessary' to learn to use computers as a help to later getting a job. This 'meant' that students had to learn what business wanted: Word, Excel, Access.

    In other words, replace education with training.

    The assumption was made that when the student went looking for a job 6 or 7 years later the MS software will still be what everyone is using.

    How will knowing details of Office 2000 or XP be much use with using Office 2009 anyway?