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Microsoft word update messes up exams in Denmark
(www.dr.dk)
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this post was submitted on 26 May 2024
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Why do governments and schools force people to buy crap from scammy companies? I don't ever want to have to deal with shit from Microsoft
In the Scandinavian countries this sort of software is usually provided by the school/university, so the students don't have to buy it. You may however be (essentially) forced to use that software, since other options aren't supported. The exam software my uni uses for instance only runs on Windows & MacOS.
Yeah, and nobody thinks that is a seriously bad idea? Here, please allow is to lock you into all our products so we can ensure you have to use them life long, like it or not.
why is it a bad idea that studenst get some tools, free of charge, that they are free to use (or not if they choose open source or whatever else)? As far as I know, at least in uni, exams can be submitted in different formats, one of those being pdf, which is pretty universal.what would be the alternative?
I would say this segment of @Iceblade02's post would be the issue, in that people are locked into these systems even if they prefer to use open source software. For example, my university based in the UK requires I submit my assignments in an MS Word format that supports Microsoft's annotations for the tutor to do all marking up and correcting/commenting on the paper there. There are ways to do the same thing with PDFs, but at least on my modules so far, it hasn't been an option at all. That's just for papers and such.
When it comes to exams where you're supposed to be answering the questions and submitting them as you go, there are schools that insist on you installing monitoring software so they can make sure you aren't cheating, which only tends to be available for Windows and Mac. I don't know how common that sort of software is outside the US, but it's certainly a thing.
The tools aren't given just out of the goodness of Microsofts heart. Make everyone use word so now if i don't use words I might run into compatibility issues. Make everyone use Microsoft teams, so well, little options there to even use a competing product.
The issue here is that Microsoft does it to force people into using their products whether they want or need to or not
You don't seem to know how that works.
Microsoft will gracefully give lower licensing costs for students if the school opts in Microsoft and opts out the competition. It's been a while (10 years ago) but I saw this in universities where then students had the choice, windows or mac because Microsoft forced it.
University in Mexico, at least 10 years ago but I wonder if things have improved much.
With opt out I mean that they are not allowed to promote Linux in an official capacity. Can't use it on their own computers, etc. everything official must use a Microsoft format that sort of thing.
I can't find it right now, but there was a quote from a long time ago by Bill Gates where he basically said that it was fine if people were using Microsoft's products for free because it would get them "addicted". They would rather have people use Microsoft products even for free if it would prevent them from using alternatives.
That's why it's harmful. It's free for students in the short term, but it prevents them from learning how to use an alternative product that will most certainly be free for them to use forever. Students waste those years when they have a chance to learn something useful, and instead get hooked on proprietary tools that will most certainly fuck them over at some point in the future.
Because, if you're expected to use or at least understand that software in the work force then schooling should cover it. Open source is nice and some countries have adopted LibreOffice as their standard but Word is still so commonplace in many industries that it is an essential tool for document writing in the age of computers.
Open source software might not directly be used in the workplace but if someone can't adapt from LibreOffice to MS Office they won't be able to adapt to MS Office updates either. It's been decades since productivity software had significantly different feature sets for most users. That weird legacy Excel formula the Finance Department uses will need training no matter how many years of Office experience a new hire has.
Alright but we're not going to teach people both and we're not going to teach people neither, so you shouldn't be surprised that a large institution picked the corporate product.
And you think it's a good thing that Microsoft has so taken over companies and governments that you now no longer have the choice?
Also, you can use open formats and learntbhe tools. It's not like Microsoft word is rocket science
Think it's good? No.
Surprised by it? Fuck no.
The schools recommend windows or mac computers but not browser based computers like Chromebooks, basically because the software that they use for the education can't be installed.
Yeah and I think that is a bad thing (tm)
Sxhools and governments should focus on using open source tools, let people decide what they want to use later. If you want to torture yourself with Microsoft tools that's your decision but I won't let a government tell me I have to pay that company money against my will
Really? A 10 year or so old 4chan post? Well that must mean you are right and Linux sucks
Its not about Linux being good or bad. I run Linux myself
I wouldn't though, if I was taking classes that needed me to run certain programs
I always have for the past 25 years. I always managed to adapt and it had become easier every year.
No university should ever require students to pay an abusive company money because reasons. Microsoft doesn't bring anything new or good tot he table, there are free softwares for everything, so allow me to use that.
Oh! In this case, Office and any other software they have to use, is free while you study. I dont see an issue in requiring students to have computer's that can run the software that the school pays for.
So you're okay with pushing Microsoft down people's throats. I don't want nor need Microsoft software, I shouldn't be forced to use it. There are few legitimate software.packages that require windows, say adobe Photoshop (also, fuck adobe for that) but just standard school stuff doesn't and shouldn't require windows or Microsoft software