[Fsfe-uk] SENDA and inclusive education and the BBC's strange decision (and possibly even the governments!)

[Paul]

Hi,

Just a thought regarding the BBCs policy and other such wonderful bits
of policy...

Under SENDA and other inclusive education acts, an establishment is not
allowed to discriminate (more or less) on a lot of grounds. One of which
is that they cannot discriminate against any section of the community
and have to look to make reasonable alternatives or modifications.

Surely by not using a Microsoft product (for what ever reason) or by not
having access to a propetary piece of software as it is not available to
a particular platform (be it Linux, RISC OS, MacOSX or any other
platform), then we can quote chapter and verse to these organisations
that they risk legal action under the discrimination laws for not making
reasonable alternatives or modifications. It's not as if they can claim
that there aren't alternatives out there!

I know I will be taking this up with my employers who are trying to
lever Windows Media as being the only way that content delivery can be
made (they're unwilling to use Real - okay, that falls under the same
umbrella, but at least there is an extremely wide variety of platforms
available and under the Helix project, porting is even simpler). 

I will also be only submitting assignments for my PGCE using
OpenOffice's native format or if pushed, PDF. If an educational
establishment wishes to force people down the MS line, fine. They are
falling neatly and predictably into trouble and what's worse, they know
it, but don't realise it!!!!

While this may seem rather a heavy handed tactic for the FOSS people,
it's about time we used the law for our benefit.

TTFN

Paul

P.S. I don't go to college at the place that I work.
-- 
Homer: Donut? 
Lisa: No, thanks. Do you have any fruit? 
Homer: This has purple stuff inside. Purple is a fruit.

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