Open source better for those school computers
Posted on March 5, 2006 - Filed Under Review |
BY JUNE, this year, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) hopes to deploy more computers — that is 12,000 desktop computers to 1,200 schools throughout the Philipines.
The DTI guys, a report in the Inquirer said, are now evaluating the "post-qualifying" bids for the PCs for Public Schools Project, probably to see not just what's "more advantageous to government" in terms of price but also practical applications. Mainly, DTI is trying to make up its mind whether to use open-source, Microsoft, or Mac.
Off the bat, many would go for Microsoft. Reason's simple; it's more popular and as some techno geeks say, easily adapts to users' common requirements. But if those DTI characters and the education department officials know what's good for their budgets which, in any case, is not a bulging one, they might want to go open-source.
"Open source," as Techno Pinoy points out, "is free and the funds thus saved can go to the purchase of more PCs for the schools. That, we say, makes real sense.
Hear Techno Pinoy argue: "Just giving students access to the internet is already a big step, and to achieve this students simply need a stable OS like Linux/Ubuntu and an open-source browser like Firefox. Moreover, because there are fewer games in Linux platforms, students can be more productive instead of wasting time playing hack-and-slash games."
Get the point, DTI, DECS?
"And if they need an office suite, there is also Open Office which has a similar look-and-feel as that of Microsoft Office,", Techno adds
Any violent arguments on that?
I believe in a government that makes more sense than makes money. But mine's just one voice — two, if I may add Techno's
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