[ubuntu-uk] Could Linux (and Ubuntu) do more to encourage students?

[Andrew Price]

On 06/02/07 10:10, Daniel Watkins wrote:
> Andrew Price wrote:
>>> I know of at least one module in my computer science course that is
>>> being taught specifically with Microsoft tools. "Building Reliable Web
>>> Applications" I think it's called. Makes me wonder if MS are paying the
>>> Comp Sci department to provide that module.
> I very much doubt that's the case. There's certainly no reason to claim
> that Microsoft don't have a large market share of any given
> computer-related market...

I'm well aware of Microsoft's considerable market share, I just don't
want to be locked into their business model. I assure you my above
suspicion is based on the fact that it's a very specialised and
platform-specific module among so many generalised computer science
modules and not because I have an irrational zealous hatred of Microsoft :)

Had the module been taught using an open, freely available,
platform-independent technology for which a tool/IDE could be written
for any operating system - and hence the acquired skills would have been
general and transferable - I might have taken it a lot more seriously.
IMHO, learning to use development tools that can only be used on
Windows; tools that will probably be obsolete by the time I graduate
anyway, does not make for a well rounded computer science education.
That's why I felt the module seemed out of place and why I'm reluctant
to take it.

I guess, had I felt otherwise, we wouldn't be having this conversation
on this mailing list :)

-- 
Andy Price
IRC: welshbyte
http://andrewprice.me.uk