Comments on: Are Schools Giving Students The Wrong Idea About Technology? http://www.itnewstoday.com/?p=1012 A site by an IT enthusiast FOR IT enthusiasts Mon, 06 Sep 2010 09:26:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Sum Yung Gai http://www.itnewstoday.com/?p=1012&cpage=1#comment-598 Sum Yung Gai Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:26:52 +0000 http://www.itnewstoday.com/?p=1012#comment-598 The University of Washington is the same way, unfortunately. A lot of it has to do with big donations from Microsoft. For a short time in the '90's, the CompSci dept. moved their C Programming class from UNIX/cc to Windows and Visual C++. They only went back to UNIX and cc because hiring managers started complaining about their CompSci students not knowing how to program! The business school there is slavishly devoted to MS. Most departments, including the business school, require submitting in MS Office formats. They teach Visual BASIC for Applications (VBA) in the business class. They don't teach databases, they teach MS Accsucks--er, Access. This is all because MS is just across the lake, and Bill Gates regularly gives HUGE donations to the school. It used to be called the University of Boeing. It's now the University of Microsoft. --SYG The University of Washington is the same way, unfortunately. A lot of it has to do with big donations from Microsoft. For a short time in the ’90′s, the CompSci dept. moved their C Programming class from UNIX/cc to Windows and Visual C++. They only went back to UNIX and cc because hiring managers started complaining about their CompSci students not knowing how to program!

The business school there is slavishly devoted to MS. Most departments, including the business school, require submitting in MS Office formats. They teach Visual BASIC for Applications (VBA) in the business class. They don’t teach databases, they teach MS Accsucks–er, Access.

This is all because MS is just across the lake, and Bill Gates regularly gives HUGE donations to the school. It used to be called the University of Boeing. It’s now the University of Microsoft.

–SYG

]]> By: walter http://www.itnewstoday.com/?p=1012&cpage=1#comment-596 walter Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:55:58 +0000 http://www.itnewstoday.com/?p=1012#comment-596 the problem goes beyond the OSS vs prop. problem. Several students are actualy thinking when then click some webstuff together they are programming. And teachers are supporting there believes, but noone tells them about then need of a revision control system or propper documentation. the fact that teachers think that the world ends after excel,word does not help. the problem goes beyond the OSS vs prop. problem. Several students are actualy thinking when then click some webstuff together they are programming. And teachers are supporting there believes, but noone tells them about then need of a revision control system or propper documentation.

the fact that teachers think that the world ends after excel,word does not help.

]]> By: Abe http://www.itnewstoday.com/?p=1012&cpage=1#comment-594 Abe Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:06:16 +0000 http://www.itnewstoday.com/?p=1012#comment-594 What do we expect from a broken educational system? The whole system needs to be restructured or rebuilt. We spend vast amounts of money on salaries and facilities but we give no thoughts to what we are getting in return. Remember: Change for the better doesn't come from the top, it comes from the ground up. If change doesn't come, we can blame no one but ourselves. What do we expect from a broken educational system?

The whole system needs to be restructured or rebuilt. We spend vast amounts of money on salaries and facilities but we give no thoughts to what we are getting in return.

Remember: Change for the better doesn’t come from the top, it comes from the ground up. If change doesn’t come, we can blame no one but ourselves.

]]> By: Jeremy L. http://www.itnewstoday.com/?p=1012&cpage=1#comment-593 Jeremy L. Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:46:37 +0000 http://www.itnewstoday.com/?p=1012#comment-593 The article was well written and reflects the current situation in the majority of schools. I am currently working on a MS in Information Assurance and Security through an online University and the "official policy" dictates the use of IE or Firefox on Windows. With a user agent switcher, I can get by with Mac or Windows. Several professors I've had so far have wanted assignments turned in formatted in MS-Word. I've sofar got away with using OpenOffice.org with no real problems. Some of the more in tuned professors have allowed PDF submission of assignments. With more universities going to online submission, I don't believe its too much to ask to be able to accept formats such as .odf or .pdf. While they may not be willing to officially support these yet, a lot depends on the professor and how in tune he/she is with the changes happening right now in the software industry. Another important point to mention is that increasingly countries OUTSIDE the USA are moving to OpenOffice instead of MS Office. Clearly with the "global economy" and international companies, it could give students a competitive edge if they can work in something other than MS Office. Where I work currently, we have three different office suites installed on the computers in my department. OOo, MS Office, and Lotus Smartsuite. Thankfully, Lotus is being phased out! Personally, ill use as much open source software as possible, but professionally I need to adapt to what is thrown at me. If the colleges can't see this, the students will start voting with their tuition dollars. It may also reduce the amount of donations from Alumni! The article was well written and reflects the current situation in the majority of schools. I am currently working on a MS in Information Assurance and Security through an online University and the “official policy” dictates the use of IE or Firefox on Windows. With a user agent switcher, I can get by with Mac or Windows.

Several professors I’ve had so far have wanted assignments turned in formatted in MS-Word. I’ve sofar got away with using OpenOffice.org with no real problems. Some of the more in tuned professors have allowed PDF submission of assignments.

With more universities going to online submission, I don’t believe its too much to ask to be able to accept formats such as .odf or .pdf. While they may not be willing to officially support these yet, a lot depends on the professor and how in tune he/she is with the changes happening right now in the software industry.

Another important point to mention is that increasingly countries OUTSIDE the USA are moving to OpenOffice instead of MS Office. Clearly with the “global economy” and international companies, it could give students a competitive edge if they can work in something other than MS Office.

Where I work currently, we have three different office suites installed on the computers in my department. OOo, MS Office, and Lotus Smartsuite. Thankfully, Lotus is being phased out!

Personally, ill use as much open source software as possible, but professionally I need to adapt to what is thrown at me. If the colleges can’t see this, the students will start voting with their tuition dollars. It may also reduce the amount of donations from Alumni!

]]> By: Gerry http://www.itnewstoday.com/?p=1012&cpage=1#comment-592 Gerry Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:56:00 +0000 http://www.itnewstoday.com/?p=1012#comment-592 Over in the UK we tackled the Open University on this very issue. It's helpful to have some idea of the reasons for founding the university in the 1960s. Here are some links http://www.opensourceconsortium.org/content/view/83/1/ http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1049499/university-challenged-ditch-microsoft http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1050051/ou-opens-crack-for-open-source Over in the UK we tackled the Open University on this very issue. It’s helpful to have some idea of the reasons for founding the university in the 1960s.

Here are some links

http://www.opensourceconsortium.org/content/view/83/1/

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1049499/university-challenged-ditch-microsoft

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1050051/ou-opens-crack-for-open-source

]]> By: Phil http://www.itnewstoday.com/?p=1012&cpage=1#comment-590 Phil Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:24:27 +0000 http://www.itnewstoday.com/?p=1012#comment-590 Very nice article. I have made this same point on various talk back forums and its often taken as just FOSS fanboyism. But the truth is that as you said it doesn't matter what technology or FOSS vs MS. Its about understanding general principals when leaving college. Too often students are taught MS only. Its also happening in MIS, CIS, and computer science. I've met folk that know nothing but C# and because they haven't even touched another language they refuse to learn anything else. The lack a good understanding of programming principals but understand how to work Visual Studio like its an extension of their arm. You place another tool in front of them and they become completely lost. That goes for server OS's too. I've had a guy ask me every step of the way what to do to change the IP on a Linux box. He simply would not even click what looked like it could be the right thing such as the System menu in Gnome. It wasn't Windows so he was programmed to not understand. I seriously fear the future for IT. Where are the thinkers going to come from if everyone is being programmed to click next and wait for intellisense to tell them what to do after they hit the ".". .....quite frustrating. Very nice article. I have made this same point on various talk back forums and its often taken as just FOSS fanboyism. But the truth is that as you said it doesn’t matter what technology or FOSS vs MS. Its about understanding general principals when leaving college. Too often students are taught MS only.

Its also happening in MIS, CIS, and computer science. I’ve met folk that know nothing but C# and because they haven’t even touched another language they refuse to learn anything else. The lack a good understanding of programming principals but understand how to work Visual Studio like its an extension of their arm. You place another tool in front of them and they become completely lost. That goes for server OS’s too. I’ve had a guy ask me every step of the way what to do to change the IP on a Linux box. He simply would not even click what looked like it could be the right thing such as the System menu in Gnome. It wasn’t Windows so he was programmed to not understand.

I seriously fear the future for IT. Where are the thinkers going to come from if everyone is being programmed to click next and wait for intellisense to tell them what to do after they hit the “.”. …..quite frustrating.

]]> By: john http://www.itnewstoday.com/?p=1012&cpage=1#comment-589 john Tue, 29 Sep 2009 06:49:27 +0000 http://www.itnewstoday.com/?p=1012#comment-589 Well, my college was mixed. All the labs on the 3'rd floor were W$ and all the labs on 6'th floor were Linux. That's because the sysadmin (who was on 6'th floor) was a linux evangelist. This isue was strong that 3'rd floor separated it's network from the rest. The good point in this is that it made sysadmin's life easyer Well, my college was mixed. All the labs on the 3′rd floor were W$ and all the labs on 6′th floor were Linux. That’s because the sysadmin (who was on 6′th floor) was a linux evangelist. This isue was strong that 3′rd floor separated it’s network from the rest. The good point in this is that it made sysadmin’s life easyer

]]> By: Money has no feelings! http://www.itnewstoday.com/?p=1012&cpage=1#comment-588 Money has no feelings! Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:07:28 +0000 http://www.itnewstoday.com/?p=1012#comment-588 They are purposely holding everyone else back. In todays economy do you really think they can let everyone get a high paying job? If every person that went into their college made $200000 a year what would that do? Right! Destroy America! Employers would pay their employees so much the whole economy would fail. Why do you think the stock market crashed in 1929? It was because everyone was making too much money. Buying stock on margin was quite possibly the best idea ever, until all you commoners figured it out. When will you people realize MONEY IS FOR THE RICH!! They can only let certain people get the $200000 pay check, and you sir are one of those select few. Let's all hope you take it to your grave. Sharing == Communism They are purposely holding everyone else back. In todays economy do you really think they can let everyone get a high paying job? If every person that went into their college made $200000 a year what would that do? Right! Destroy America!

Employers would pay their employees so much the whole economy would fail. Why do you think the stock market crashed in 1929? It was because everyone was making too much money. Buying stock on margin was quite possibly the best idea ever, until all you commoners figured it out. When will you people realize MONEY IS FOR THE RICH!!

They can only let certain people get the $200000 pay check, and you sir are one of those select few. Let’s all hope you take it to your grave.

Sharing == Communism

]]> By: desertgeek http://www.itnewstoday.com/?p=1012&cpage=1#comment-587 desertgeek Tue, 29 Sep 2009 01:43:52 +0000 http://www.itnewstoday.com/?p=1012#comment-587 I got an associates degree in Linux Networking Administration from Mesa Community College in Phoenix, AZ. It is a Cisco Network Academy, so the networking side was Cisco. The core requirements for the degree included an A+ class and a Windows XP administration class. I wanted to let the author know that there are some colleges that do try to provide a mix of technology for their students. In fact, the Networking Administration degree also required A+, Window XP, and Intro to Linux, in addition to the CCNA and CCNP programs. They believe all IT professionals should have a basic understanding of all relevant technologies, whether they go into Windows, Linux or Network Administration. I got an associates degree in Linux Networking Administration from Mesa Community College in Phoenix, AZ. It is a Cisco Network Academy, so the networking side was Cisco. The core requirements for the degree included an A+ class and a Windows XP administration class. I wanted to let the author know that there are some colleges that do try to provide a mix of technology for their students. In fact, the Networking Administration degree also required A+, Window XP, and Intro to Linux, in addition to the CCNA and CCNP programs. They believe all IT professionals should have a basic understanding of all relevant technologies, whether they go into Windows, Linux or Network Administration.

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