Slashdot Mirror
A College Without Microsoft?
An anonymous reader asks: "My grandfather is the president of a well-known undergraduate-only college of about 7,000 students. He tells me that an alumnus has agreed to donate $2.4 million initially (and up to $800,000 each succeeding year for 10 years) to the school for computer equipment and staff if the school agrees not to renew any contract and to buy no products or services (either directly or through an intermediary like Gateway) from Microsoft. I'm told that this isn't the enormous amount of money that it sounds like and that a change-over to non-Microsoft products would be costly. I think it'd be great for college students to use computers apart from Microsoft, but I'm told that the board will look at the decision in terms of cost, not for benefit to the students. Does the Slashdot community have any points that I can give my grandfather to present to the Board next month?"
so now they're paying people to not use superior software...
Would you hire an accounting major that can't use Excel? A marketing/business major that can't use PowerPoint? A software developer who can't use VB? Many companies won't.
No sig, sorry.
If it was me, I wouldn't stop at agreeing not to renew / buy Microsoft crap. I'd go so far as to throw away all the Microsoft based crap on campus and replace it with something useful. Sure, this money might not sound like a big fortune at first but it should be enough considering that with free operating systems, you don't have to pay for so-called licenses. The best part is that you can pick out some bright computer-savvy students and have them do much of the work, for money, of course. This would provide student jobs and a good learning experience. To make a long story short, getting rid of Microsoft crap is all advantages and has no disadvantages. Because Microsoft crap is all disadvantages and has no advantages. Know what I'm saying?
It's called an MSCE. If you're worried about not enough people are being prepared for their "Microsoft Future" in college, you obviously have no idea what college is about. It's a lot more than just a MicroSerf Trade-Skool.
Besides, have the kids learn MacOSX and Linux and then they will be prepared for what Windows will be trying to ape by the time they finally graduate.
Er, almost as common as knowing how to spell 'sense'.
Upgrade your grey matter, cause one day it may matter
No No NO! You've got it wrong. Every college has a Meth lab.
"Or are you refering to the fact that the Slashdot community consists of many people with diverse opinions, some of whom credit [insert organization] and some of whom hate it?"
/. editors.
No, I think he's talking about the people who go to great lengths of hypocrisy to justify their hatred of Microsoft.
Such as the