[Linux-aus] Academics and FLOSS

[Harry Woodward-Clarke]

Hey Andrew,

> One of the biggest hurdles for me is lack of ODF support. As I am 
> studying by distance education while I stay at home raising our child I 
> am expected to submit assessments online. The problem with CSU at 

congrats - I got my Associate Degree and Bachelor's through CSU
'Distance Ed'.

> present is that they support very few formats for online submission. As 
> you can guess Word is one of those. OpenOffice can export to Word 
> format, but it is still not 100% compatible. The last couple of 
> assessments I have submitted have been futzed up so I have decided to 
> print hard copies in future and post them in.
> 

hmmm... they *still* not fixed this? Last century there was a *big*
issue raised when - due to variations in versions of M$-Word - a student
lost a heap of marks because her lecturer's copy (printed out at / by
the Uni) was not formatted the way he had specified in the assignment
requirements.

My suggestion then - and still is - use PDF. That way, whatever the
student 'prints' to PDF will be rendered (pretty much) the same no
matter what device it comes out on (paper sizes not withstanding).

In the end, I asked my lecturers if they would accept my submissions in
PDF via email, and I would submit a one page 'text' "coversheet"
explaining (as a memory jogger) to the lecturer that, per our agreement,
the actual assignment was in his 'Inbox'. Worked well.


> I have been completing a Tafe certificate this year as well and there 
> has been some interest from fellow class people about my use of 
> OpenOffice. They are interested, they thinks it's cool, but then they 

good for you!

> turn around and install MSOffice because they are free to do so.

hmmm... not sure about "free" - perhaps it's different in Vic. I work in
TAFE NSW, and while there is a Statewide license for "Staff", students
are still required to purchase (all be it a ridiculously low prices) a
copy of MS-Office for home use - they use it all the time on Campus, of
course. Unfortunately for some, TAFE students -don't- qualify for the 
"itsnotcheating" $70 deal (I direct them towards OOo :')

So, back to your assignments at "ChuckU" - talk to the lecturer. Both
the Wagga* and Bathurst guys are willing to talk, and indeed, some are
quite pro FOSS (one in Wagga* particularly - he's been using OpenSource
since before there was Linux).

kind reg's and all the best for the studies,

.h

* I can call it "Wagga" because I grew up there - you lot *must* call it
"Wagga Wagga".

-- 

Harry Woodward-Clarke
harry-at-woodward-clarke-dot-com
imago Dei in quolibet hominé inveniartur