[Linux-aus] linux-aus Digest, Vol 12, Issue 4

[Tim Bowden]

On Fri, 2008-03-07 at 14:20 +1100, James Collier wrote:
> Thanks for your advice everyone. Immediately after sending my request
>  to this mailing list I contacted Monash IT Services by email:
<snip>
> This morning I received the following response:
> 
> "
> Hi James,
> 
> We thank you for your concern however monash do not advertise such
> products
> on there own accord. It is companies such as Microsoft who approach
> Monash
> and though Monash are allowed to advertise there products.
> 
> We are closing this call for now, but if you have any further queries,
> please reply to this e-mail quoting the Request Number listed above so
> that we can reopen your call.
> "

So the problem is either;
1. The Uni is allowing commercial entities to direct market to students
(probably with some filtering to ensure products may be of interest to
students) in which case it's not directly a free software issue, or
2. There's no "vendor" willing to market openoffice.org to students.

The practical solution may be for LA to step in as a "vendor" and use
the same method MS did to offer openoffice.org CD's to students.
Perhaps the Student Guild could be used for the point of distribution.

Regards,
Tim Bowden