Re: Affecting Institutional Change (Yeah Right)
On Tue, May 08, 2007 15:49:54 PM -0400, Amy Templeton
(amy.g.templeton@gmail.com) wrote:
> Hey all,
>
> Can anybody recommend a *really, really convincing* source of
> information I can give people/my college that will aid in deterring
> them from trying to force people to use MS-Office files (by sending
> them via email and posting them on official college sites)? ones
> I've been using (http://goldmark.org/netrants/no-word/attach.html
> and http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html) just
> aren't cutting it
Amy,
yes, that language isn't the same spoken by non programmers. Now:
0) knowing more could be useful to define a line of action
1) as far as official college sites go, it depends on where the
college is and whether it is a public one or not. Some countries and
states *have* laws that mandate that public electronic documents must
be published at least in non proprietary formats. In the USA, Pam
Jones of Groklaw.net may be able to help you to find this out. IF this
is your situation, threatening a lawsuit or at least communicating to
any news outlet in a 500 miles radius may move something.
2) I don't know how much it can help in your situation, but here's a
success story of a University organization which was "encouraged"
by popular pressure to rethink its not-so-indirect software
advertising: http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/8739
It may offer you some hints on how to proceed.
3) Another angle may be to point out that several states are moving to
open formats:
http://www.infoworld.com/article/07/02/06/HNtexasminnodf_1.html
and explain why Universities should be the first ones to follow
this example
4) I haven't actually opened it yet, but the database here:
http://digifreedom.net/node/55
is meant just to list good and bad (from this point of view)
schools and Universities worldwide, both to help all of them to get
the kind of coverage they deserve, and to help students to find out
in advance and avoid the wrong places. You and everybody else is
encouraged to send me off list any relevant material. Obviously, you
are also encouraged to pass around this request as much as you can.
Hope these comments are useful. Feel free to contact me off list if
you need more support.
Best Regards,
Marco Fioretti
--
Help *everybody* to love Free Standards and Free Software:
http://digifreedom.net/node/80
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