15th August 2008, 11:29 AM
And this thread was getting to be interesting.....
The comment about discounted software is a fair one and one that applies to university units as well - but not for much longer.
Both AutoDesk and Esri have changed their licencing conditions which makes it virtually impossible to buy discounted educational versions - regardless of any charitable or educational status.
When you add that in to the costs of installing and running Microsoft products.....it's why we're looking at developing Open Source alternatives. Neither Inkscape, GIMP nor the various CAD alts are there yet and might not be for a couple of years - but I think they have to be the future. GIS software like gvSIG or QGIS is almost there - but still needs developing, especially with input from folk like us.
It is one of the advantages of a large organisation like OA - they/we can allocate R&D time to projects like this, but, like everything else - it has to fit into a business model, in this case, reducing software licence/maintanence costs in the longer term (when you're looking at £80K+ for your AutoCAD licences - you want alternatives!)
Unitof1...
Sorry - but you've actually lost me!
The only response I can give to one of your comments is that there is no connection between OA and Oxford CC or University
ShadowJack
The comment about discounted software is a fair one and one that applies to university units as well - but not for much longer.
Both AutoDesk and Esri have changed their licencing conditions which makes it virtually impossible to buy discounted educational versions - regardless of any charitable or educational status.
When you add that in to the costs of installing and running Microsoft products.....it's why we're looking at developing Open Source alternatives. Neither Inkscape, GIMP nor the various CAD alts are there yet and might not be for a couple of years - but I think they have to be the future. GIS software like gvSIG or QGIS is almost there - but still needs developing, especially with input from folk like us.
It is one of the advantages of a large organisation like OA - they/we can allocate R&D time to projects like this, but, like everything else - it has to fit into a business model, in this case, reducing software licence/maintanence costs in the longer term (when you're looking at £80K+ for your AutoCAD licences - you want alternatives!)
Unitof1...
Sorry - but you've actually lost me!
The only response I can give to one of your comments is that there is no connection between OA and Oxford CC or University
ShadowJack