Microsoft "hoovering" money out of British schools

DO A SEARCH ON THE MOTHER of Parliament's web site - that's called Hansard you ignoramuses, and you'll discover that the Vole just can't stop putting its oar into matters now it's discovered that Tony Blair loves it.

A search on Hansard here produces 409 results and some of them are interesting, oh yeah.

Unfortunately, the Hansard site seems to have a bit of a slow server [Microsoft-Dell combo? Ed], so getting to number 409 is tricky.

This question from a Mr Bobby Blizzard, the MP for Waveney, claims that Microsoft will not sell site licences to schools or colleges here in Blighty. Kirkley High School, says Blizzard, pays a staggering £15,000 a year in licence fees.

Says Blizzard: "Does my hon Friend agree that Microsoft is unfairly hoovering money out of schools and that it is no use it producing glossies with children on the front if it is charging too much?

Ivan Lewis, a Labour Party apparatchik for Education and Skills, says he doesn't want to condemn Microsoft until he has all the facts available to him. "That would not be a particularly good idea!" he ejaculates, presumably worried that his Outlook 2000 might stop.

The label "honourable friend" means Blizzard and Lewis belong to the same party.

The current government is committed to spending much more on education but unless something's done about this, it looks like the British taxpayer is paying.... Bill Gates. Most schools use Wintel PCs here.

Our members of parliament are all on their hols now until October or something, because nothing much ever happens in August or September, but we think this contribution just before they piled out for their hols is interesting.

Microsoft has its own definition of electronic communications services which it wants the parliamenteers to take into account.

Sheesh. Can't Microsoft just use the services of a lobbying company like any other multinational, rather than putting its oar in itself and frightening our largely gutless MPs? µ

* INKY BLOT Pass this UK government site through W3C parser for a little surprise or two.