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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 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.