[LUG] Eurpoean Computer Driving Licence and Non-MS Operating Systems

[Terence McCarthy <saki.uk@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

It appears from the various sites relating to the ECDL that only Microsoft o/s are 
supported (vide winzip and Acrobat for Windows as the only downloads in support of 
ECDL materials).

Can you please assure me that:

a. The ECDL is not a front organisation for Microsoft (as it appears to be),

b. That any o/s and appropriate software is (or is to be) considered as a suitable 
vehicle for ECDL qualification,

c. That answers to module questions (such as the example at 
http://www.ecdl.co.uk/common/sample/module1.htm) "1.1.4 Explain what a computer 
virus is and describe two measures you can take to protect your computer from a 
computer virus." are acceptable according to the o/s and software used,

d. That if b. and c. above are not accepted, then the reasons why they are not will 
be made public, and the subsequent limited value of ECDL certification publicised on 
all ECDL promotional material(as endorsing a UK driving licence with, e.g., "Valid 
for driving Ford cars only").

There is an increasing awareness, especially in Europe, of the undisirability of 
proprietary, closed software, on a number of grounds, not least cost, unreliability, 
and lack of security, all of which Microsoft exemplifies.

With the welcome increase of European governmental spending on alternative o/s 
(Germany- IBM & Linux, France- Mandrake Linux), it is important that the ECDL is, 
and is seen to be, non-O/S and non-software specific.

It is thus also important that non-O/S specific question/answer combinations exist. 
For example, the sample question quoted above could have answers from a 
Unix/Linux/BSD user along the lines of:

"1. Use an inherently secure o/s (that is: NOT ANY of the various flavours of the MS 
o/s),

2. If you can't, NEVER use, or allow other users to use, MS Outlook."

You may also get answers about user/group permissions, firewall configuration etc..

Thank you for your help in this matter. I look forward to an early reply (as I hope 
to use my (SuSE) Linux system and Sun Open Office 1.0, along with postgresql and 
other such programmes to qualify for my Computer Driving Licence!).


Terence McCarthy

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