[ubuntu-uk] And now my MP reply...

[Caroline Ford]

On 15/12/06, Andy <stude.list at googlemail.com> wrote:
> On 15/12/06, Caroline Ford <caroline.ford.work at googlemail.com> wrote:
> > They think that we need to educate children on what they will use in
> > the work place - which to be honest is all windows.
> The workplace will use whatever people are educated in.

It's certainly true that employers don't want to pay for training
unless they have to. If the workforce comes pre-trained in windows
then it's considerably cheaper to use it.
> >
> > I've been advised at College, and in careers advice places, that I
> > should study Microsoft qualifications as in the real world Microsoft
> > dominate, *on the server*. I was told Unix is dying out..
> Unix is going to die, but it will be replaced with Linux, NOT Microsoft.

I understand that red hat has 50% of the server market. This doesn't
seem to be known by careers or college staff...

I agree that proprietary unix will die out - but having played with
open bsd I'm really impressed by its quality. I think there will be
(or should be) a future for free unix..

> In my house there are probably a number of Linux systems.
> This PC runs Linux (yay me), the router runs Linux, yay router, I have
> no idea what the set top box uses, but I suppose it could be Linux.
>
My router is linux too :)

> If they tell you that Linux is not being used and you should learn
> Windows then you should know they are lying!!!
> I was in the office of a guy who did research into DSP (Digital Signal
> Processing), and told me that if I knew Linux I could expect a
> significantly higher starting salary.
> I also noticed his book shelf was dotted with books about Linux.

This hasn't filtered down to outside academia. I first used unix at
University, if you've never been to University you may have only ever
used windows.

It appears that the more impressive your set up, the more likely you
are not to be using windows. The poorer your are, and the less
educated your staff, the more likely it is that you are using windows
on the server. *nix is harder, but superior.

> Personally I know both Windows and Linux, my Uni forces me to use
> both.

My adult education college and my Cisco course require me to use
windows. I naturally use linux at home and convert formats as needed.
I've had some concern from staff that my presentations may not be as
good as they see me using what they see as inferior tools.. (In
practice this hasn't been a problem..)

As a future network admin I don't see myself having to deal with
bloody windows 2003 server if I can manage it. I know linux and bsd
are superior.

> To say we can't teach people Linux and Free/Open Source software
> because it isn't used is rubbish.

Mainstream jobs never require linux skills on the desktop - IT at work
for non technical staff *does* mean windows and office alas. It
doesn't mean it always will, but currently microsoft is the defacto
standard.

The fact that it shouldn't be doesn't alter the fact that it is. It's
the fact that IT college staff are telling people that it's the
standard *on the server* is a problem. It clearly isn't, even if
people with windows qualifications would like it to be..

Caroline