Re: [Fsfe-uk] [ALUG] Microsoft and schools (fwd)

[Kevin Donnelly]

On Friday 05 December 2003 11:21 am, MJ Ray wrote:
>  Schools across the UK could save up to £50m on Microsoft software over the
> next three years.

This is somewhat similar to the block procurement for the NHS - the PR then 
said something similar (savings of £100m), but didn't focus at all on the 
fact that this still meant the NHS was paying nearly £70m for desktop 
licenses for the coming three years.  

As Richard says, the emphasis needs to be put on the ongoing cost, since these 
"savings" are purely notional - if I make something for 20p and usually sell 
it at £1 (which is MS' profit margin on Windows), and decide to sell it to 
you at 60p, you can do one of two things:
(1) rejoice that you have saved 40p, which is what Clarke has done, or 
(2) ask why you couldn't save another 30p (still leaving a goodly 50% profit 
margin for MS), or better still, not pay anything at all.

The second one is the one to push.  I spoke to some doctors recently about 
free software, and I could see them totting up in their heads where else in 
the NHS that £70m could have been spent.

-- 

Best wishes

Kevin Donnelly

www.kyfieithu.co.uk - Meddalwedd Rydd yn Gymraeg