Re: [OS:N:] Re: open-source-now-list digest, Vol 1 #642 - 10 msgs

--- OpenSourceFan <[email protected]> wrote:
> So rather than start something like FSEDU and reinvent the content 
> 'wheel', 

The FSEDU has a huge goal. The first being to advocate student rights. 
The content wheel seems to be be a wheel that cannot be built using
free software, or at least is missing. It appears to be to be a worthly
goal to persue.

>why not donate your time, effort and money to convert
> existing 
> Redhat, successful courseware so that it doesn't use the offending 
> software and let Redhat offer that along side their Java/Flash
> version? 

That is one of the services that the FSEDU project plans on offering,
helping people convert the material from closed to open standards.
We would not be able to help students who take part in the online
courseware from redhat because of the EULA prevents that. 

Again, we also need to look into the deliverly mechanism, and
presentation format, I think that we can create free software that is
still not allowing an export routine into human readable form. The only
issue is one of trust, because a hacker might be able to bypass the
checksum routines and LIE about the validity of the software.

Redhat has said that they would use an alternative transport and
delivery method if provided. The dotgnu platform which I support and am
helping with is working on that. But we still have not solved the issue
that the content provider needs some assurance that the content will be
only used for a limited time.

Right now thay don't have anything but a license that tries to protect
them from users running away with thier content. Only the contract
protects that.

>   I hope this doesn't sound flippant because that is not my intent. 
> It 
> is a serious question.  And one to be applied to each of the 
> vendor/authors you are poling.

As I have said, the FSEDU project is envisaged as a large support
organinsation providing consultancy, conversion, advocacy and training.


Content is also important for the parts of the project, such as the 
Consumables database,and we are planning on having certain courses
ourselves. 
http://fsedu.org/fsedu.pl?Consumables


Peter minten has also proposed a set of courses that he wants to
provide 
http://fsedu.org/fsedu.pl?FreeSoftwareAcademy


> I will end with the opinion that if you recreated the existing 
> courseware without Java and Flash and offered it for the same amount
> of 
> money, that it wouldn't sell.  

If I offered it or RedHat? Please explain.

>And that would raise the question of
> how 
> valuable this 'right' of Free Delivery Platforms (rather than just
> free 
> Platforms - java and Flash) is to the students.

The right to use free software is of great value, do I need to go into
detail about that? (yawn) I dont want to bore you to death.
mike

=====
James Michael DuPont
http://introspector.sourceforge.net/

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