[plug] iPads in WA schools

[Simon Wise]

On 08/04/13 11:54, Andrew Cooks wrote:
> Hi Plug
>
> Is anyone else concerned about the iPad monoculture that is
> infiltrating the school system? Is this a repeat of the mistakes that
> led to Microsoft gaining a monopoly over a whole generation of people?
>
> Looking forward to your responses.

Certainly not a good thing, but looking at the last election this state, and 
probably most of the country, as voters we are very heavily in favour of 
policies favouring corporate profitability and of directing public budgets 
straight into the wallets of corporate suppliers. Apple offers just such a deal.

It seems we have been convinced that only large, profit oriented corporations 
can provide the things we want or need. It is policy, some might say ideology, 
that drives this .. perhaps stupid but very deliberate, not a mistake in that 
sense of the word. It is intentional policy and we vote strongly in favour of 
it. We will of course suffer the consequences in time, but this applies to a 
much wider range of things than just the IT supplier for our schools.

It is a dead end and very short term thinking, but with so many of the 
electorate convinced that it is the best way we have some way to fall before we 
change our collective minds on this.

Simon