| Ministry renews software deals for schools |
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The Ministry of Education has decided to continue software licensing agreements for schools with Microsoft, Apple and Novell.
It has signed contracts to provide schools with computer operating systems, office suites, anti-virus and Web filtering software for the next three years. Renaissance, Novell and Datacom will provide applications and support; Telecom and Watchdog will provide Web filtering and firewall products.
"The agreement covers almost 200,000 computers and provides schools with certainty for the next three years," said Howard Baldwin, Acting Manager, e-Learning. "With the only major change being new anti-virus software, schools will not have to spend significant amounts of time learning new products and systems. This means they can get on with their core role of teaching."
The Ministry ran an open tender to identify the best possible options for providing software and support to schools.
"During the evaluation process a broad range of options were considered. Serious consideration was given to new options including the use and promotion of open source products and emerging technologies such as Software as a Service," added Baldwin. "Schools will still be free to use any product they wish to. A number of schools are using open source software or browser based alternatives and they will continue to have this choice."
Ross Posted: 27/08/2009 11:50 AM
Hope the new Antivirus includes the ability to push out the solution to cliens and uninstall the old antivirus solution....
