BSF and OpenSource

[beeswax]

Does anyone have any experience of the type of software "managed" schools have to run? Is opensource being thrown out in favour of proprietorial software, or are the companies cool about this?

[broc]

No experience, however I do know that Sun has expressed serious interest in proposing thin client solutions to deliver BSF managed services in some LAs, and whilst this is not 'open source' as such it is not Microsoft either!

 

The BSF Draft Output specs I have seen (all 2 of them) do not mandate proprietary solutions. They talk about virtual applications, thin client technology, even avoid specific terms like PC or Interactive Whiteboard. As far as I can see they would not discriminate against a solution that was totally Open Source, Thin Client, or Windows/Mac OS based.

 

Of course you cannot be sure how the people assessing the bids will react to solutions that are not seen as 'conventional'

[CyberNerd]

It is likely most of the companies that are allowed to bid will be MS 'partner companies'(ramesys,capita,RM) and therefore may have obligations with partner to inhibit OSS alternatives, although if what Becta say about Office2007/Vista is a contractual requirement of BSF then they won't have choice but to offer eg. Openoffice as well.

 

I certainly don't expect any of these MS partners to be offering Linux Desktop/server solutions - and anything the school puts in off its own back it will A) have to pay extra for B) won't be supported by BSF contractors, so IMO OSS is effectively being thrown out in favour of proprietary software. Of course the school still picks up the bill for the software provided by the BSF contractors, whether or not they need it. - hence the early day motion talks about 'outdated procurement policies'

http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=31752&SESSION=885

Note that whoever wins the contract has 100% say in hardware so macs/thinclients might be no-go

[beeswax]

Thanks for those replies. I wrote to my MP last year asking him to sign the EDM regarding OpenSource, which he was only too glad to do. However, he's also a local councillor who enthusiastically supports BSF. I'm looking for evidence/arguments to put before him and point out what Managed Services might mean for our LEA schools.

If anyone else can offer evidence or thoughts on this I'd be very grateful.

[webman]

Have you had a look at the Schoolforge-UK website for inspiration?

 

As you know I am rather cynical where it comes to Microsoft in education. My observation is that certain incentives will be offered in turn for 100% Microsoft-built schools of the future. Only my opinion, obviously...

[Face-Man]

Broc wrote :

I do know that Sun has expressed serious interest

 

They have done more than that they have won the bradford bid

 

Integrated Bradford, England--an Amey-led consortium

Sun is a member of the successful Integrated Bradford consortium which won the contract after a six-month selection process involving a team of school representatives and council officers. The program will see the deployment of 4,500 ICT access devices enabling every secondary school pupil and teacher in Bradford to be given access to his or her own Sun Ray desktop or laptop, creating a virtual learning environment where it is as natural to search for information using the Internet as it is to open a text-book. The infrastructure will be supported by Sun's Java Enterprise System (JES) which can offer a flexible, affordable and future-proofed network. JES is capable of supporting any application or operating environment, allowing schools to add extra capabilities as when they are required.

 

Looks like open source has a foot in the door..

 

Lancashire BSF IT is being provided by redstone http://www.redstone.co.uk/managed/index.html

[Geoff]

Lancashire BSF IT is being provided by redstone http://www.redstone.co.uk/man...index.html

 

All of it? or just the burnley/east lancs pilot?

[Face-Man]

Geoff asked

 

All of it? or just the burnley/east lancs pilot?

 

I think it must be just the pilot though the press release is as clear as mud

it does however only mention Burnley and Pendle.

 

http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/education/bsf/news/20060228/index.asp

http://www.p4s.org.uk/documents/PfSjointpressrelease-LancashireFC.doc

[Skoggmeiger]

Broc wrote :

I do know that Sun has expressed serious interest

 

They have done more than that they have won the bradford bid

 

[

 

Well, the Sun had to shine on Bradford some time or other.