Microsoft

Microsoft and Child Protection

At a click of a button on Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 (and only on Microsoft Internet Explorer 8) a secret code is launched which reports an individual to a Government organisation called CEOPS which in turn accesses the Police databases.

What exactly does this button do?

I have no idea.

I never do know exactly what proprietary software is doing so this button is no exception, but nor do the developers of Firefox, Safari and Chrome. Who are CEOPs and why are they promoting Microsoft and 'Maddie' on their front page (www.ceops.gov.uk)?

Selling Proprietary Software the Top Gear way

Imagine you have just settled down to watch the BBC's Top Gear programme. You've cracked open a can and are looking forward to seeing all the latest shiny stuff on which you may just blow your redundancy cheque.

Jeremy strides into shot confidently smiling a.. 'you are just gonna love these cars smile'. Then he says, 'What we have on offer is so scary, so unbelievable, that even Sister Wendy would have the bejeezus scared out of her.'

Microsoft Takes Teachers To Brazil

Amid calls from local authorities to use open source software and cut software costs, Microsoft is holding a teachers' conference in Brazil.

Microsoft is inviting teachers to foreign education conferences, despite cut-backs in public spending in the fall-out from the global recession, and claims that schools could save money with open source software.

Is the UK Government really set to shed 10,000 School ICT Staff?

Some claim huh? Unfortunately I am not 'kite-flying', or scaremongering or even falling prey to hyperbole (heaven forfend). No, I mean it.

I have been reading a lot of Agatha Christie recently as her books came free with The Times over the summer. Accordingly I will leave the denouement to the end of the narrative.

And, also like Poirot, I must say " 'ow could I been so blind, it is all so obvious"...I will let him handle this case.

The story starts with the strange problem of 'Educational Pricing'.

The Linux Insurgency

Insurgent methodology clearly fascinates master tactician Peter Mandelson who recently urged the UK Government to behave more like insurgents in order to beat the Conservative Party in the forthcoming election. Superficially, it is a mildly bizarre statement but maybe not.

General McChrsytal no less believes that the US is in real danger of never being able to beat the Talebs... unless they find the 'right strategy'. Pretty shocking statement that.

Selling Open Source software into the Public Sector

Why is it so hard to sell Free, Open Source solutions into the Public Sector especially Local Authorities?

You would have thought that it would be easy - after all FOSS solutions for services such as e-mail, collaboration software, and learning platforms are demonstrably cheaper and more effective than their proprietary equivalents.

You would also be encouraged by the Government mandating that all public sector IT procurements show that due consideration has been given to Open Source solutions alongside proprietary ones.

Software vendors and the UK Government: how to peer behind the scenes

In the Open Source world we are rarely privy to what goes on behind closed doors in the world of ICT in UK gov. However, we have been remarkably 'lucky' over the years to fish out just what is going on. By popular request here's how it's done: The Spencer System.

This is my own system used for detective work when dealing with official releases written or spoken in Mandarin-Speak. They invariably consist of: lies (verifiable and non verifiable); 'economical truths'; weasel words; spin and monkey shaking. A glossary is provided at the end for those unfamiliar with the terms.

The People's Cloud

Ok, so now we know,

John Suffolk's (the Cabinet Office CIO) generously replied to my questions posed in last week's blog. G-Cloud is 'go' and it will be a Private Cloud, based on Open Standards and will use a mix of proprietary and (free?) open source software. All I reckon is left it to see whether it's stitched together by Microsoft's technology or Red Hat's.

UK Government ditches Microsoft's Cloud in favour of Open Source?

In a world of spin, smoke and mirrors working out what is 'going down' is not easy and requires the full use of the "Spencer-scale".

At one end of this sale is 'paranoia', just feelings nothing more, moving through 'guessing' to 'speculation' and then on to 'putting two and two together'. At the other end is 'analysis' (of the facts) and ultimately a simple if rare report of the 'knowns'.

Windows in Schools, Open Source at Home

Anyone remember Computer Assisted Learning or CAL? No? Well it's back.

Ever since the first computer to draw a graph or do that parsing thing to allow kids to fill in missing words, ICT has been the 'Great Beige Hope' that would revolutionise teaching and learning.

It's all tosh by the way. Ignore the fake stats and the deluded evangelists. CAL (or interactive computer lead learning) is simply a gimmick perpetuated by the faux trendsetters with good hair that stalk education.