Education [was Re: [Fsfe-uk] Lobbying]

[Richard Smedley]

MJ Ray wrote:
> 
> Imran Ghory <address@hidden> wrote:
> > I did some searches and turned up the following statement by Charlotte
> > Atkins (MP for Staffordshire Moorlands) made in '99,
> >
> >  "To ask the Secretary of State for Education and
> > Employment what assessment he has made of the Linux computer operating
> > system and its potential for reducing the costs of school computer
> > systems. "
> >
> > Maybe someone should contact her and ask if she has seen any developments
> > in this area ?


I have been involved (unsuccessfully) in previous attempts to interest
the government in Free Software in schools. Whilst I remain personally
very 
demoralised by my experiences, that would not stop me getting involved in
AFFS efforts to this end.

 
> The holding answer from Charles Clarke, MP for Norwich South (which
> represents my old home, so I have met him), is at
> http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/cgi-bin/htm_hl?DB=ukparl&STEMMER=en&WORDS=linux+&COLOUR=Red&STYLE=&URL=/pa/cm199899/cmhansrd/vo990216/text/90216w31.htm#90216w31.html_wqn0
> but I can't find the final answer.
> 
> Another key body in this field who we should make ourselves known to is
> BECTA (.org.uk), but I gather that OSIE already are known to them.  Someone
> should talk to OSIE and see if/how we can work togther.  Their URL is (I
> think) http://www.osie.org.uk/



I'm afraid that OSiE is effectively defunct.
I agree we should try working with Becta, we just shouldn't ecpect too
much 
from it.
There are others involved too, I'm a bit pushed for time here at work
this morning,
but I'd like to pick this up later....

 
> [At the very least, some questions on
> http://osie.sourceforge.net/dynamic/osieweb/noframes/about_oss.php should be
> corrected.  The free in Free Software is freedom, not price.]


This was mentioned at the time (that the pages went up).
Anyway, see above.




Marc Eberhard wrote:
> Birmingham, same place, same room? I will be off for the first two weeks in
> April and I guess nobody wants to meet somewhere in the Lake District... :-)

Hey, I'd vote for that - has anyone got a big enough boat for all of us? ;-))


Birmingham is probably the most central place, if we don't want to meet
at Coniston Water?
Are we talking about a weekend meeting, or a week day?

- Richard



-- 

Richard Smedley
Production Editor, Linux Format

Telephone +44 (0) 1225 442244 ext 5038