Derrin Kent

1. Let’s face it, Linux is a better quality desktop option nowadays… Click here.

2. If you’ve been impressed by Aero… Click here.

3. Let’s face it, thanks to its Open Source “sharing” approach and its regular release cycles, Linux will always be at the cutting edge… Click here.

4. Let’s face it, knowledge has always been developed through leaping off the shoulders of giants… Click here.

It has only been in the latter part of the last century that the flawed assumption that innovation is best encouraged by NOT sharing has taken its hold. In my view, we shouldn’t be jealously protecting our “intellectual property” for anything longer than 5-10 years. Proprietary software vendors and the repressive system of excessively-long and strong patent-control can no longer compete against the GPL and Creative Commons licences… Click here.

I have extensive experience in delivering Work-Based Learning myself and some of my TDM Ltd. colleagues have even more.

When supporting WBL providers with their Virtual Learning Environments, my business model usually centres around:

• the development of a free e-portfolio service
• transforming their exisiting training/learning materials into a virtual delivery model …and…
• creating a practical online environment in which typical, everyday WBL staff and business processes can be conducted.

A dilemma I hit when I met a potential new WBL provider client last week, though, is that one (not all) of the staff members I spoke to - possibly not fully realising the huge value which Open Source Software can add to their business processes (not to mention the cost-savings)(?) - indicated to me that they were reluctant to release their staff members’ time to collaborate with me to develop an e-learning solution - they simply wanted to buy something “off-the-shelf” which can be delivered with minimum disruption to staff time and minimal call on staff contribution to the learning programme’s deleopment.

My dilemma is…. “Do I simply deliver what this client has asked me for?” (more…)

We are probably all familiar with the distinction between:

1. Free “Gratis” …as in “Free Beer” software

v’s

2. Free “libre” …as in “Free as in Freedom” software

…but there are two other interpretations of that word “free” which we should think about when considering what software to deploy for ourselves or for our staff.

3. Free “trial” …as in “Free Milk from Nestle” software

…and…

4. Free “autonomous/private” …as in “Free to retain control one’s own private data” software

(more…)