[Fsfe-uk] BECTA discriminate against FLOSS?

[ian]

British Education Communication Technology Agency

BECTA's spec on laptops for teachers is at
http://www.lft.ngfl.gov.uk/index.php?i=307

Isn't this unfair discrimination against FLOSS? They specify that MacOS
X 10.2 or later is acceptable so how come GNU/Linux isn't? 

This is despite government policy that Open Source should be considered.
www.e-envoy.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/00/28/41/04002841.pdf

Why could a teacher not choose to have GNU/Linux on a laptop instead of
Windows (Ok, it might be difficult to obtain a laptop without Windows
but its the principle that matters)

Also they say an office suite with WP, SS and presentation and that
shareware, freeware is unacceptable. Same for E-mail. Does this include
FLOSS? ie is OpenOffice.org not allowed? Seems particularly daft if
StarOffice is since its effectively the same software over the required
applications. Then there is mandatory anti-virus software.

Doesn't all this show that they are skewing the specification to block
out FLOSS at greater cost to the tax payer. This is against the recent
E-envoy's policy above and it could be against fair trading law if it
could be shown that BECTA was effectively colluding with Microsoft to
block competition by reinforcing their monopoly.

As the Lead for education for the OpenOffice.org project I will not be
happy if BECTA's only grounds for discriminating against us is that we
produce Free software which would be the logical conclusion if they
allow StarOffice.

If anyone wants to write to BECTA, the Chairman is Professor David
Hargreaves who is actually the keynote speaker at the FLOSS in Education
conference and recently wrote a very pro-OSS article in the Independent.
He is not a technical person, more a political figurehead but he is pro-
the concept of Open Source and is keen on social inclusion. He probably
has no idea of the detail of these things so rants are likely to be very
counter-productive! The address of BECTA is 

BECTA
 British Educational Communications and Technology Agency
 Millburn Hill Road
 Science Park
 Coventry
 CV4 7JJ
 
I will be writing on behalf of the OpenOffice.org community and again
paper letters on behalf of organisations such as GNU, AFFS, Schoolforge
etc are likely to be taken more seriously than an E-mail from an
individual.
-- 
ian <address@hidden>