[odf-discuss] BECTA

[Ian Lynch]

On Tue, 2008-05-06 at 08:43 +1000, Jean Hollis Weber wrote:
> Ian Lynch wrote:
> > BECTA, the UK government quango that supports UK schools has just put
> > out a tender for supporting a Schools Open Source Project. I'm putting a
> > bid together through my company The Learning Machine supported by
> > Schoolforge UK and members of the Open Source Consortium. The plans will
> > include supporting odf in schools. Would anyone have any objections to
> > me saying that the Fellowship supports the application? 
> 
> I have no objections. (I'm assuming your bid won't include 
> anything I would object to; I can't imagine it would.) Good luck!

I'm still working out the details but I don't think there is anything
anyone would have any problems with. TLM has an independent management
board to ensure we don't do anything unethical and BECTA as the customer
will act as a regulator. Since they are now supporting FOSS overtly,
(They wrote to BSI to say no to OOXML, have advised schools not to
upgrade to MSO 2007 or Vista unless they really have to and resurrected
my complaint to the Office of Fair Trading about MS Schools agreement
adding a complaint about lock-in to MS file formats) I can't see them
demanding anything we can't live with.

> Supporting ODF in schools is a very worthy goal (or means to a 
> goal). I would love to see something similar happening in 
> Australia. I don't have the background to help, however.

You have helped already by sending this e-mail :-) Many other English
speaking countries use BECTA so there could well be spin-offs to other
countries, we'll just have to see how things develop. My aim is to treat
this as an investment and use it alongside INGOTs to lever open source
development for schools. BECTA's endorsement should give confidence for
more schools to consider migration, we'll provide information and
quality assurance to accelerate the process which will provide more
business for open source infrastructure companies and FOSS consultancy.
If it works here other governments might well follow.

Ian
-- 
New QCA Accredited IT Qualifications
www.theINGOTs.org

You have received this email from the following company: The Learning
Machine Limited, Reg Office, 36 Ashby Road, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B79
8AQ. Reg No: 05560797, Registered in England and Wales.