[ubuntu-uk] Is the demise of Becta an opportunity for FOSS?

[Simon Greenwood]

On 25 May 2010 12:05, Alan Lord (News) <alanslists at gmail.com> wrote:

> Here's a pretty well researched post by Glyn Moody on why he thinks
> Becta was really bad for FOSS in schools.
>
>
> http://www.computerworlduk.com/community/blogs/index.cfm?blogid=14&entryid=2978
>
> Al
>
>
He's broadly correct but in the end BECTA could only advise and advocate. On
the ground it is Capita and RM and the like who effectively decide what is
supported. I know of several situations in different places in the country
where schools have wanted to run none-standard servers, specifically Apple
Xserves in a couple of cases, and have been prevented from doing so by their
IT providers simply because they don't have the expertise to support them,
even when all they required was an IP address.

If the promises to give more autonomy to schools come to fruition, then they
might be able to do different things with their IT budgets, but also
centralisation and co-operation produces economies of scale and I wouldn't
doubt that it will be the same businesses that will be advocating software
and support in schools that have been for the last 13 years.

Simon

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