[plug] MS Curriculum at schools and TAFEs ...

[Richard Sharpe]

Hi,

I wanted to share a concern I have at what I view as both an insidious and
particularly effective business strategy on the part of Microsoft to ensure
their total dominance in the computer industry for years to come ...

It seems that Microsoft has been very effective at getting parts of their
MSCE and MSxx taught at schools and TAFEs (and perhaps institutions of
higher learning) around Australia, and perhaps the whole world.

While this is a legitimate business strategy, it has profound implications
for the future of the Australian computer industry and our children, in my
view.

Perhaps the biggest effects are:

1. It creates a perception among future technologists that there is only
   one solution, one way of doing things: The Microsoft way.

2. It creates a nation of technology users, not technology producers. 
   It seems to me that these people are then totaly dependent on 
   someone else's technology, and are far less likely to create their
   own technology for our future benefit.

Perhaps I am wrong; perhaps Microsoft is the best thing since sliced bread,
and I have a perverse and wicked desire to find something bad in
Microsoft's generosity in having shared their wonderful technology with us
all, and if so, can someone please tell me so?


Regards
-------
Richard Sharpe, sharpe at ns.aus.com
Samba (Team member, www.samba.org), Ethereal (Team member, www.ethereal.com)
Contributing author, SAMS Teach Yourself Samba in 24 Hours
Author, Special Edition, Using Samba