14 DAY TRIAL // Becta, the UK computer agency has recently warned UK schools not to sign licensing agreements with Microsoft because of its alleged anti-competitive practices. Microsoft is being accused of refusing to resolve some fundamental concerns about how its software is being licensed to schools. These concerns especially regard Windows Vista and Office 2007.
The Redmond company is insisting that it is only trying to offer the best software at the best possible price. "Microsoft is committed to providing educators with the tools and support they need because it's central to our mission of helping people realize their potential", said Ralph Young, vice president of the Worldwide Public Sector at Microsoft in a recent statement.
Becta, on the other hand, is worried about the subscription model of payment which Microsoft is currently demanding for the software, and has officially advised all UK schools not to sign agreements with Microsoft if it involves a one-off payment which gives permanent rights to use the software and has also voiced concern about the requirement that schools must have licenses for every PC which might be running Microsoft software, whether or not the software is actually in use. Because of this, officials from the UK computer agency are advising schools which have already signed on with Microsoft to consider leaving the scheme as soon as possible and only to use Office 2007 when it has established good interoperability with some other software.
Apparently, if the UK schools switch to open source software, they will be able to save somewhere between 20 to 50 percent of the costs of their ICT departments. In a statement following the recently given warning, the agency stated: "Becta is determined to get the best deal it can for schools and indeed for the wider educational system, and to make it as cost-effective and convenient as possible for educational customers to acquire the ICT products and services they choose".