[wilhelmtux-discussion] Microsoft und das Bildungswesen

[Claude Almansi]

Hi Manfred and Hannes and Tuxers

This sounds, as Manfred points out, like the result of former decisions: PPP (partenariat public privé) project for bringing ICT to
schools http://www.bbt.admin.ch/dossiers/ppp/d/index.htm, plus Microsoft's own "Partners in learning" project, presented at WSIS in
December http://www.microsoft.com/education/partnersinlearning.aspx.

Opposing this kind of partnership head-on might not work too well, unfortunately. I can already hear - have already heard actually -
the usual shibboleth: "We Lack Resources for ICT and Schools ... You Don't Look In The Mouth Of A Gift Horse blablabla". Drawing
people's attention to the fact that the gift horse from the Greeks to the Trojans was actually NOT a blessing usually meets blank
incomprehension, in my experience.

Maybe the "biodiversity" argument would work better. There was a great article a few months ago on virus vulnerability in banana
trees and computers due to the erasing of "biodiversity". Can't find it right now but I'll search. Anyway, I mean drawing schools
attention to other solutions that should be presented too. To the fact, for instance, that IBM now uses Linux on the servers it
sells, so kids should also get familiar with non Microsoft environments.

In this sense, even people working on enabling tech are taking a turn: last week, at a course for ATED
http://www.ated.ch/storia/locandine/L'Accessibilità%20a%20tutte%20le%20tecnologie%20informatiche_16062004.cfm?data=20040616 in
Lugano, Claudio Giugliemma of Qualilife www.qualilife.com said they were now adapting all their solutions to Linux: they had
previously worked exclusively on a Microsoft basis, not out of love for Microsoft, but because Microsoft was the most widespread
environment at work.  But now things are changing, hence the adaptation of his products and services  to Linux environment.

This example might work well, I think - because the idea that someone with Locked-In Syndrom (LIS) whose only movement left is
blinking, for instance, doesn't have to be stuck with a Microsoft environment to be enabled to communicate, learn and act through a
computer, is striking. And so is the fact that a business like Qualilife finds that the importment investment needed to offer an
alternative to Microsoft is worth making.

Then there might be more oblique, not to say devious, arguments. There is an official MSN UK group for teenagers,
http://groups.msn.com/grapevineespresso . I know most of you won't touch an MSN group with a barge pole, but please, fill your
pockets with garlic and go have a look:

- the manager is an MSN sysop. In a year, though, she only posted 3 times, and on futile matters

- management is left to a bunch of 7 young untrained assistant managers who try hard but can't cope - and  aren't aware they can't -
with ensuring safety in a group of 30'000+ members. The situation eerily evokes García Marquez' The Autumn of the Patriarch, where
powers that be try to hide the demise of a dictator and keep using his image to bloster their power.

The Grapevine Espresso management drew attention to the group by broadcasting an advertisement for it through all MSN group chats
last week. As a result, many people have written asking for it to be closed. MSN won't, probably.

As a result of the reports, the mangement is now asking people to hide their e-mail addresses in their profiles by August 1st, or be
banned. With no explanation as to why: before that, they had an A/S/L board and a messenger buddy list encouraging kids to reveal
private info. Also, they are not explaining how on earth they are going to go through all the profiles after this deadline.

So maybe letting them flounder deeper in their attempts to meet safety requests relayed by MSN, and then reporting on it in
educational publications might also help making people aware that Microsoft's stance as an authority in educational matters is not
completely justified? Putting kids, or letting kids put themselves, at risk from potential paedophiles through neglect should not
leave educators indifferent.

Cheers

Claude

Claude Almansi
claude.almansi at bluewin.ch
www.adisi.ch