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[News] Kids in New Zealand Taught Free Sofwtare

Open-source students get mentoring help

,----[ Quote ]
| Junior programmers are to get mentoring help, following the granting of 
| nearly $600,000 in funding to set up an Open Source Learning Laboratory. 
`----

http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/2412A52CEA230C1DCC2574310081AF2F

Managing Your Software Madness With Open-Source Alternatives

,----[ Quote ]
| Few things are more annoying than software that doesn't deliver the goods -- 
| especially when your business is paying for the privilege of being annoyed. 
| But no matter which application is driving you nuts these days, there is 
| probably an open-source alternative available   
| 
| Here are a few of the chief contenders for the "World's Most Annoying 
| Software" title, along with some worthy open-source alternatives. While these 
| products vary in their quality and functionality, and while none of them will 
| satisfy every small-business owner enough to justify making a switch, they 
| are at least worth a closer look.    
`----

http://www.bmighty.com/blog/main/archives/2008/04/managing_your_s.html


Recent:

SSC to release portal code under GPL

,----[ Quote ]
| "I wrote a few weeks ago about how they should consider releasing software 
| under the GPL," Christie writes. "Well, they have taken that on board and 
| agreed to work with Catalyst to release the code for behind the new 
| government portal (newzealand.govt.nz) under the GPL. I thought this was a 
| great demonstration of how willing government agencies are to engage and take 
| on board alternate ideas."     
`----

http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/tech/E53E8CAE4C30736DCC2574250031EAE7


Ases Eee PC with XP - special discount for schools?

,----[ Quote ]
| So, hold on a second! A special tender for educational institutions? And this 
| is only for the XP version of the Eee PC, not the Linux version? I wonder who 
| managed to line up this deal? Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if Microsoft 
| would be the one sponsoring this. Probably giving away the copies of XP more 
| or less for free. If anyone has any information on the details of this, 
| please let me know...     
| 
| Actually, assuming that Microsoft 'pays' for this special deal makes perfect 
| sense, considering their recent DreamSpark initiative (see my comment about 
| that here). As far as I can see, this is yet another attempt to ensure that 
| students, as young as possible, are being let towards Microsoft products and 
| are prevented to experience any alternatives. And since those closed-source 
| products always hide 'how it works' from students, the only thing the 
| students are left to learn is 'how to use it'. Training students with 
| proprietary software just trains them to be IT users. Click here, click 
| there. It only trains them in a particular vendor's products.        
`----

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/foobar/4786


Standards NZ asks Microsoft staffer to 'rectify' statements

,----[ Quote
| Standards New Zealand has asked a Microsoft employee to rectify statements 
| made in an email to the Trinidad & Tobago Computing Society about New Zealand 
| OOXML advisor Matthew Holloway.  
| 
| The emails were sent as standards organisations around the world engage in 
| sometimes heated debate over whether Microsoft's Office Open XML (OOXML) file 
| format should be accepted as a standard alongside the Open Document Format.  
`----

http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/0B47485921D44083CC2574110068B1B6


A Microsoft Slur in the OOXML Saga -- Did I Tell You or Did I Tell You? -
Updated

,----[ Quote ]
| Remember I told you I've noticed that people who don't support Microsoft's 
| agenda end up the victim of smear campaigns? 
| 
| The New Zealand Open Source Society is reporting that an employee at 
| Microsoft New Zealand recently sent an email to one of the technical bodies 
| advising an NB involved in the OOXML ISO process, smearing a man's 
| reputation, Matthew Holloway, apparently to undermine his technical input 
| which was critical of OOXML.     
`----

http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20080318151252279









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