[school-discuss] Microsoft Thwarting Free Thinking

["Gerard Lam" <gerard_lam10@hotmail.com>]

Dear All,

I find this quite disturbing and it makes me sick.

http://cbs.marketwatch.com/tools/quotes/newsarticle.asp?guid={A67AB539-754F-4E24-B68F-3A3716E7B0D1}&siteid=mktw&dist=nbk

It seems after reading the previous posts (where Microsoft is practically 
giving away their software at the university level - they did that at where 
I graduated form too - Penn State), Microsoft is trying to capitalize on the 
"network effect" - where they lock kids into using a certain technology and 
hope they take this mentality to college, then to their work environment.

It's not an act of charity when Microsoft pushes (free software) or 
encourages certification at this level, I am sure they do not have the best 
interest of the children in mind.  What could it be??? - A long-term 
strategy to maintain and extend market dominance.  Essentially they are 
planting their seeds into the young minds of children at an early age - that 
is preposterous - especially when the school system is supposed to encourage 
freethinking.

I cannot see how this can be a model of excellence, let alone be recognized 
as something to be proud about.  I understand the argument that Phillip 
Randolph is trying to give the kids an advantage (but they should have a 
choice - maybe they are giving them a choice, I don't know)- that is noble, 
but who is to say those are "the" skill sets they need when they enter into 
the working world.  According to a research by Meta Group, an information 
technology research and consulting firm located in Stamford, CT, predicts 
that 45% of servers will be running Linux by 2007 at the latest (similar 
predictions by IDC).  You now have major Wall Street firms (Morgan Stanley, 
Goldman Sacs, CSFB...), and Fortune 100 corporations (IBM, HP, Amazon.com, 
DreamWorks, Sony and commitment from Unilever....) leveraging and adopting 
open source - So would it not be to the demise of the children to tool them 
with a skill set that might not be the most sought after skill set?

"Duval County Public Schools is committed to providing quality educational 
opportunities that will inspire all students to acquire and use the 
knowledge and skills needed to succeed in a culturally diverse and 
technologically sophisticated world"  Microsoft does not equal 
technologically sophisticated or diverse.


I really feel we need to do something about this...will let you know when I 
think of a resolution.... - goes with the saying, when you have a problem 
with something, don't complain about it, but do something about it :)  Just 
wanted to send a message out and hope this is not the beginning of a trend - 
by keeping an eye open to it, we can see the threat coming....


Regards,
Gerard

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"A Vision Without Action is a Daydream"

Gerard Lam
abcT (Acclerating Broadband Classroom Team)
646.321.8727
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