[K12OSN] OT: Required use of IE by State DOE

Thu Mar 15 19:20:52 UTC 2007

maybe even a better assertion,  requiring the use off proprietary
software is illegal under section 508 of the rehab act and the Americans
with Disabilities Act. unless it is provided gratis to each and every
person that may need to use it, and all underlying proprietary software
that is also required to run the required software

and even then it probably would not comply under the "equal facilitation"
clause of 28CFR36.202  and the prohibition to require the persons with
disabilities to "pay" for the services under 28CFR36.301(c)

these have been upheld in American courts and the Federal government is
bringing thier sites into compliance as we speak.

Bob

On Thu, 15 Mar 2007, Joe Korzeniewski wrote:

> Peter,
>
> Do you already have linux implemented on the desktops (or terminals) of people who will need to use this new web app?
>
> I would go to the DOE saying that your district can't afford to fork out the money to migrate to windows (like you would want to if you did). Talk to the tech guys at some neighboring districts and see if you can tap into their network (most techs know techs from other districts) and gather some support. Strength in numbers. Most techs can be swayed with the "do you want the gov't telling you what you can put on your computers?" argument. I know in michigan, when the DOE mandates something, they are responsible for funding its implementation. If they are forcing you out of linux, they should be willing to pay for your windoze. I hope some of this has helped. Best of luck to you.
>
> -Joe
>
> Joe Korzeniewski
> Technology Director
> Mason County Eastern Schools
> 231-757-1120
>
>
> >>> dahopkins429 at gmail.com 3/15/2007 11:55:25 am >>>
> Peter,
>
> Thanks, I was afraid that it would end up on this route.  I contacted my
> state Senator and (old) Representative last year (they live 7 and 4 houses
> away, respectively), but even when told that adopting a different approach
> to IT could save 50% plus in IT costs (with data to back it up), and also
> provide a better (more rounded?) IT education to students, they still said
> that they needed to defer to the experts (State DOE, CIO) on these
> decisions.  I now have a new Rep (about 1 mile away) after last fall's
> election, so I will contact him and see if he is more willing to question
> the status quo.  Of course, this is the same House and Senate that passed
> sunshine laws which apply to everyone except themselves (specifically
> exempted themselves in the law).
>
> Sincerely,
> Dave Hopkins
>
>
> On 3/15/07, Peter Scheie <peter at scheie.homedns.org> wrote:
> >
> > This is a long route, but I don't know that there's an alternative.  Get
> > to know your
> > local state reps.  Explain how IE-only plans of the DOE will shut out ALL
> > the Macs in
> > schools, since IE isn't being maintained for Mac any more, how the modern
> > approach is to
> > code to open standards so people are not locked into specific vendor's
> > products.  Remind
> > those reps that 20 years ago, all the various mail services--Sprint,
> > CompuServe, AOL,
> > etc.--were proprietary and didn't talk to each other.  The Internet
> > changed all that,
> > and that's why it stomped those proprietary services.  The DOE's approach
> > is a reversion
> > back to proprietary approaches that don't do the job.  Get the reps to
> > understand that
> > the DOE's strategy will end up costing the schools MORE money because
> > they'll have to
> > buy expensive equipment (Windows boxes) just to accomodate the DOE's
> > shortsightedness.
> >
> > Then ask the reps to help the DOE adopt a more open approach, e.g.,
> > something that
> > complies with W3C standards rather than just accomodating one vendor.
> >
> > (There's an idea brewing here: Having government officials say they have
> > great
> > connections with a private business, such as your CIO has done, reminds me
> > of the line
> > from Styx's "Too much time on my hands": "I've got dozens of friends and
> > the fun never
> > ends, that is, as long as I'm buying".  Government shouldn't really have
> > close ties to
> > any vendors.  Private businesses, sure, they can have ties with whoever
> > they want, they
> > have no obligation to be neutral.  But government is
> > different.  Unfortunately, it
> > sounds like your CIO doesn't quite grasp that.  Who *doesn't* have good
> > ties to their
> > vendors?  The vendors are supposed to be your 'servants', although there's
> > a price.)
> >
> > Petre
> >
> > David Hopkins wrote:
> > > All,
> > >
> > > This is off-topic, but apparently the DOE for Delaware is developing
> > > software (paying for the development) which will require the use of IE
> > > in order to be used.  When asked why, the response is typically of the
> > > form 'because that is what we want'.  Now, this is going to impact the
> > > use of K12LTSP (or the adoption of anything that is not MS-centric).
> > > So, has anyone come up with a legal requirement that would make
> > > requiring the use of a specific browser by a specific vendor on the
> > > vendor's hardware illegal?  I don't see how Section 508 can be used to
> > > get around this, but perhaps someone on the list knows something.
> > > Delaware is a very very very MS-centric approach to IT.  In fact, the
> > > Delaware CIO boasts about the close ties of Delaware and MS.  He was
> > > formally the Verizon lobbyist to the state.
> > >
> > > We are a small enough state (2 degrees of separation for most people)
> > > that if there is something questionable about the proposed approach, it
> > > can be changed but only with really good reasons.
> > >
> > > Sincerely,
> > > Dave Hopkins
> > >
> > >
> > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >
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> >
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> >
>
>

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