[ Date Index ] [ Thread Index ] [ <= Previous by date / thread ] [ Next by date / thread => ]
On 16/10/06 23:52:15, Ben Goodger wrote:
On 16/10/06, Neil Williams <linux@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:On 16/10/06 23:28:08, Eion MacDonald wrote:Reminds me of previous discussions on how IT should be taught using the Universal Computer - not the computer that happens to be on the desk today.I despair when I hear of IT being taught as "how to use Excel" not "how to use a spreadsheet".It's absolutely no use instructing people in solving problems with M$ machines, there needs to be an awareness of other systems, other solutions.The "easy" methods of teaching people to follow pictures in tutorials like robots who get confused as soon as the icon theme is tweaked are the stuff of nightmares. It's pointless teaching people how to use XP or Vista, teach them how to use a computer so that when something replaces Vista they are still able to use the thing!Same principle applies to technicians.One day, I'm going to produce a LaTeX-typeset version of all yourwonderfully concise summings-up of the entire industry's problems, such as this one.
:-)No problem - a simple accreditation and link back to the DCGLUG archive and I'm happy.
I think it'd make a good "holy book" for certain groups of people,(The above is, for once, completely unsarcastic, and I utterly agree. I am incredibly frustrated to hear the librarians at College piping Hotmail as not only apparently The Webmail Provider(tm) (gmail, yahoo etc don't exist as they don't have a butterfly, adverts or IE-only user agent checkers) but also The Way To Get Rid Of Virii And Spam(tm) (emails are, self-evidently, the only way to get virii, and Hotmail's virus scanner is infallible - never mind any of those standalone ones, LOL!!), and it's annoying to be unable to actually program because our Computing "coursework" is actually just copyingsome buggy VB from the board - we never actually learn
That is a horrendous indictment of current educational methods in IT.I remember (bitterly) trying to compile C and C++ code on Windows (.exe, .cpl, a nefarious TSR, a .dll now and then) after paying a FORTUNE for the compiler! (~1991-4).
Now, I can't believe I was that dumb to actually pay money for that trash.
FROM: /dev/socialism
Monopolists are bad for capitalism too, remember. Yes, the monopoly is good for the (one) monopolist but capitalism relies on someone being able to compete with those who would become monopolists. Otherwise capitalism becomes economic dictatorship.
When the monopolist already has sufficient cash reserves to undercut every commercial competitor, the only capitalist solution is to compete on grounds other than price. It becomes ever more important to stress GNU/Linux as free as in speech, not just as in beer. With the popularity of Ubuntu and the hardware support of Knoppix, GNU/Linux has no reason to be afraid of the monopoly player.
Current methods of teaching IT (and utilising IT to support teaching of other subjects) reflect the current monopoly. Just as servers and standards are the software battleground, education and educational support are a vital political / philosophical battleground.
-- Neil Williams ============= http://www.data-freedom.org/ http://www.nosoftwarepatents.com/ http://www.linux.codehelp.co.uk/
Attachment:
pgpS3yX4Vrrdc.pgp
Description: PGP signature
-- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/linux_adm/list-faq.html