ubuntu-users Digest, Vol 24, Issue 154

[Alain Muls]

On Wednesday 23 August 2006 14:02, ubuntu-users-request at lists.ubuntu.com 
wrote:
> > On Wed, 2006-08-23 at 13:02 +0200, Sylvain Girard wrote:
> > > I think the issue is that the kids learn to use office in school. How
> > > close the openoffice functionality is to the ms office functionality,
> > > the interface isn't quite the same.
> >
> > If your kids can find their way around Office, then can't find their way
> > around OpenOffice, then they shouldn't be using the computer at all.
> > Seriously.
> >
> > You are making an issue out of something that simply isn't an issue at
> > all. You would never claim that they will not be able to use
> > Firefox/Konqueror/Epiphany/Galeon/SeaMonkey/Mozilla/Opera/Netscape
> > because they have already learned IE, right?
>
> Don't jump on the OP for the idiocy of the educational system. In the
> U.K., it's the same. The teachers know nothing whatsoever about
> computers and just drill the students on step-by-step menu pecking in
> Microsoft Office and Windows, which the students then need to
> regurgitate to pass the national tests.
>
> We're Windows-free at our house too and it's a problem. We have a Mac
> (and two Linux PCs), so at least they have some place to memorize the
> useless information about Word and Excel. But I'm making sure the kids
> can also do the same things in OpenOffice and try to expose them to a
> bit more about computers. One of them has taken an interest in Python,
> for example.
>
> But it's a constant uphill battle. The schools are, more and more,
> locked into long-term, overpriced contracts to offer rented Windows
> computers. None of the universities that my eldest daughter
> investigated even offered Macs, and she's looking at *art* schools.
> Geezum. It's enough to drive you to despair.

I totally agree with this opinion. It is a drill they need to reproduce 
without thinking. And it is not unlike Alan replied in another message that 
my eldest cannot use OpenOffice, he does btw since he has dutch spelling and 
a dutch interface there, while Word/Excel is English and I do not have the 
spelling dictionaries.

I hope it will change since Belgium recently adopted the open document format, 
but I am afraid that there will be NO change in the educational system.

The teachres do not want to investigate in OpenOffice even if they get the 
opportunity to distribute the exact same version, whatever OS, to ALL their 
students. How is this in other countries?


> I can see why people 
> resort to home schooling...
>
> Sorry for the off-topic rant. It's something that has really bothered
> me for years. I'd join any effort to change that, but it's an
> incredibly high barrier right now in the U.K. and getting higher.

-- 

mvg/Alain

________________________________________________________
Alain Muls                                               Tel +32.2.7426340
Royal Military Academy                          Fax +32.2.7426472
Dep CISS-ASGE                                 alain.muls at telenet.be
________________________________________________________