Hi David,
Precisely. By recycling old (over ten years in some cases) and donated
computer kit and utilising modern, reliable, secure, resource-efficient
and free open source software to build a 12 GFlops thin-client cluster our
IT expenditure so far this year has been approximately a tenner (for a
USB2 card for one of the 10 year old machines).
Of course any money not spent as a result can be used for conservation or
marketing say.
Regards,
James
On Wed, 23 Apr 2008, David and Carol Lingard wrote:
> Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 09:37:45 +0100
> From: David and Carol Lingard <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: Museums Computer Group <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [MCG] BBC Article etc. etc.
>
> Ladies and Gentlemen,
> It has been interesting reading all the fine words on 'Public domain',
> 'Open Source' and so on over the past few days, but please remember the very
> large number of small, independent - or in some cases nearly so - museums
> around the country that have to turn a profit just to keep going from their
> only asset, their Collections.
> David Lingard
> Chairman, Dartmouth Museum
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "J Martin" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 23, 2008 2:50 AM
> Subject: Re: BBC Article
>
>
>> Hi Colin,
>>
>> Thanks for this.
>>
>> A couple of film quotes spring to mind:
>>
>> "Greed is good, greed works" - (Michael Douglas in 'Wall St').
>>
>> and:
>>
>> "You don't own that 'plane, the taxpayer does" - (baldy US CAG Commander in
>> 'Top Gun').
>>
>> Make thy choice!
>>
>> IMHO, the UK cultural heritage "industry" should reject any, covert or
>> otherwise, efforts to turn "public domain" into "profit centre". Our
>> citizens deserve better and it would indicate a gross dereliction of duty
>> to those we serve on our part were we to inhibit the free
>> dissemination of information.
>>
>> Whilst "Web 2.0" per se has some merits, un-educated adoption of it by
>> institutions can lead to real harm IMHO. No doubt they will learn.
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> James
>>
>> P.S., Is the final (dodgily ISO-approved) OOXML spec. available via. bl.uk
>> yet? (I jest!). Not too bothered if not as we run EduBuntu rather than the
>> very expensive and even more deficient Microsoft offerings.
>>
>> On Tue, 22 Apr 2008, Colin Hynson wrote:
>>
>>> Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:25:08 +0100
>>> From: Colin Hynson <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Reply-To: Museums Computer Group <[log in to unmask]>
>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>> Subject: [MCG] BBC Article
>>>
>>> Dear all,
>>>
>>> Thought you might be interested in this:
>>>
>>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7360263.stm
>>>
>>> Best wishes,
>>>
>>> Colin Hynson
>>>
>>> **************************************************
>>> For mcg information and to manage your subscription to the list, visit the
>>> website at http://www.museumscomputergroup.org.uk
>>> **************************************************
>>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> Important IT news update follows:
>>
>> The European Parliament's IT team is moving to Ubuntu + OpenOffice +
>> Firefox http://ec.europa.eu/idabc/en/document/7565 ("the tests show this
>> Open Source configuration meets the Parliament's office requirements.").
>>
>> The UK government is migrating 3,000,000 HMG desktops to OpenOffice
>> (saving us taxpayers GBP 3,000,000,000) -
>> http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2008/03/31/230047/pc-deal-could-save-public-sector-billions.htm
>> keywords: "OpenOffice, networked [i.e., thin-client]".
>>
>> http://www.ogc.gov.uk/documents/CP0041OpenSourceSoftwareTrialReport.pdf is
>> also a very good read.
>>
>> [log in to unmask]
>> SDF-EU Public Access UNIX System - http://sdf-eu.org
>>
>> **************************************************
>> For mcg information and to manage your subscription to the list, visit the
>> website at http://www.museumscomputergroup.org.uk
>> **************************************************
>>
>
> **************************************************
> For mcg information and to manage your subscription to the list, visit the
> website at http://www.museumscomputergroup.org.uk
> **************************************************
>
--
Important IT news update follows:
The European Parliament's IT team is moving to Ubuntu + OpenOffice +
Firefox http://ec.europa.eu/idabc/en/document/7565 ("the tests show this
Open Source configuration meets the Parliament's office requirements.").
The UK government is migrating 3,000,000 HMG desktops to OpenOffice
(saving us taxpayers GBP 3,000,000,000) -
http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2008/03/31/230047/pc-deal-could-save-public-sector-billions.htm
keywords: "OpenOffice, networked [i.e., thin-client]".
http://www.ogc.gov.uk/documents/CP0041OpenSourceSoftwareTrialReport.pdf is
also a very good read.
[log in to unmask]
SDF-EU Public Access UNIX System - http://sdf-eu.org
**************************************************
For mcg information and to manage your subscription to the list, visit the website at http://www.museumscomputergroup.org.uk
**************************************************
|