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UK tells schools to drop Microsoft products, or, FINALLY someone gets it!
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Dec 1999
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http://www.tes.co.uk/2094985
Primary schools could cut their computer costs by nearly half if they stopped buying, operating and supporting products from the world’s largest software company, government research has found.
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"…I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than
you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods,
you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Stephen F. Roberts
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: France
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I think this report is advocating Linux and open source rather than MacOS. But yes, the drop MS idea is a good start.
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Moderator Emeritus  Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Austin, MN, USA
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Wouldn't using linux cost more in support? Does that really offset the low fixed cost to start? (well apparently by 24 cents per computer it does.) I wonder how much it costs on average to support Macs. It certainly has a higher startup cost but would surely have the lowest support cost.
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 2001
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Nice, once they find linux being hard to support they are going to move again, by then Macs are going to be even cheaper than today, so they get a 'not that high' startup cost and a fantastic low support cost. Cool.
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"That plane's dustin' crops where there ain't no crops."
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: LV-426
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Let's hope so. These things swing back and forth and there are a lot of silly people in the world. You never get fired for buying IBM. The same applies to MS today I suspect. 
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“Building Better Worlds”
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Administrator  Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: San Antonio TX USA
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The article doesn't specifically address whether they're talking about the OS or the applications. You can run Star Office on a Windows platform. Or you can run Red Hat AND Star Office and not give Bill Gates a penny.
The real question however, is how these schools are getting their hardware and software. Here in the U.S., Apple and Dell are in a pretty tough race to see who can supply hardware, software and support to the most schools. They offer really good deals that include training, service, support and upgrades, so the schools just need to decide which bid to take. If the English schools are doing things piecemeal, then they are bound to run into more expensive options than schools here.
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Glenn -----
OTR/L, MOT, Tx
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Portland, OR
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Originally Posted by Xeo
Wouldn't using linux cost more in support? Does that really offset the low fixed cost to start? (well apparently by 24 cents per computer it does.) I wonder how much it costs on average to support Macs. It certainly has a higher startup cost but would surely have the lowest support cost.
Once a Linux machine is working it's very hard for it to break. Whenever I move around I take my headless Linux server with me. Hasn't been hooked to a monitor in a long time. Just plug it, turn it on, and it does it's thing. Doesn't even seem to terribly mind hard shutdowns.
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8 Core 2.8 ghz Mac Pro/GF8800/2 23" Cinema Displays, 3.06 ghz Macbook Pro
Once you wanted revolution, now you're the institution, how's it feel to be the man?
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Dec 1999
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How often do schools upgrade their computers? Probably once every 5 years would be my guess, if that even (judging from where I work.) It's moving away from the support fees Microsoft likes to levy on everyone. Client Access Licenses are just stupid. You have to pay Microsoft a license fee even for products that aren't Microsoft's, including Macs, Mac OS, Palms, Linux PDAs, and cell phones (but only if they access the Microsoft server and use its services.)
Support costs are also insanely cheaper for a Macintosh. While this article is proposing use of Open Source over Microsoft, it still brings up the important thing: Microsoft IS more expensive, no matter how MS likes to spin it.
Anyone think a 500MHz Pentium III will be able to run Longhorn?
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"…I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than
you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods,
you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Stephen F. Roberts
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Administrator Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: San Antonio TX USA
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Originally Posted by olePigeon
How often do schools upgrade their computers? Probably once every 5 years would be my guess, if that even (judging from where I work.)
It depends on the state and district here in the States. Texas gets a boost from Dell, which provides fairly current computers for a really attractive price. Other, well off districts can choose what they want and then pay for it. One district near me provided iBooks to all their students-and then rescinded that when somebody thought they'd be spending more time playing than working-and then reversed themselves again when it turned out to be the most popular program the district had set up in its history.
Poor schools are likely to have old computers, but then they're also likely to not have support agreements with MS, either. You can do a lot with Win98 (properly installed) and an older version of Office. And if they're inventive, they've already gone to Linux and open source apps, so they can still get the job done.
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Glenn -----
OTR/L, MOT, Tx
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