Open source makes school appointment

Sounds like the report being mentioned in this article could have a real impact on the ways schools view Open Source software. I can’t even begin to count how many times I’ve tried to express its value to people, only to see it shunned for its more expensive, closed source counterpart.

Becta, the Government’s lead agency for ICT in education, is set to release a new report which will say that schools could save significant sums by switching to open source software, eGov monitor can report.

The landmark report will show that OSS can be implemented successfully in schools and present documented examples of cost savings from its use.

Becta’s report, based on a study of 15 schools, will state that open source office products have been demonstrated to offer schools a cost-effective alternative to proprietary software.

Among the key findings will be that primary and secondary schools using OSS substantially reduced the total cost of ownership per PC. Support costs - typically accounting for more than half a PC’s total cost - showed the biggest reduction. [Read the rest]