[Edu-sig] Microsoft's KPL

[Kirby Urner]

> Maybe you are trying too hard.  In my mind, I am only stating the obvious.

But you *always* seem to think you're stating the obvious.  That's probably
why it's so hard to understand you.

> And wondering why it seems to have become acceptable and common to ignore
> it. Maybe you are looking for more than the obvious.
> 

Maybe, maybe...

> >
> > I'd be concerned if just one or two big companies felt they could hijack
> > and control our curriculum, but having thousands upon millions of 
> > competing firms hawking their education-relevance doesn't so far bother
> > me.
> 
> Are there thousands upon millions of firms in a position to compete with
> Microsoft, Disney and IBM?

Certainly.  Because these stock market ticker decals you mention have a way
of going up and down in an ocean of others, which also go up and down.

In education, being a really small company is what's ultra cool.  Because
your students think they might want to be private, independent entrepreneurs
like you someday.  

> More fundamentally, when was it that we decided that the kind of market
> forces which work to bring us ketchup, work to bring us education.  The
> U.S. - perhaps the most free-market force ever - had, until the 
> technological disruption, understood the importance of making one very 
> fundamental exception to the general rule that the markets rule - and 
> that has been in education.

Do you want to cite some sources here?  IBM is not in the ketchup business.
It has committed to supporting the Linux kernel, which got SCO all excited
because surely ownership of the Unix trademark counts for something (unless
that's Novell's).  But no, it's hours of original man hour that counts, and
geeks have their memories, their lore, their admiration structures.  They
know the Linux of today is no cheap rip off of some ancient Bell Labs source
code (which was actually pretty cool, but that didn't rub off on SCO).  In
adding to the kernel, IBM is acting in an educational capacity as well.
It's a two way street however:  it was an eye-opener for IBM lifers to "get
it" about open source culture.

The point of all this smalltalk:  where've you been Arthur?  We who bring
you ketchup bring you all that engineering you pay for and enjoy.  Your car,
your skyscrapers, your computer.  Since when aren't we in the education
business?  We taught you all you know.  Bucky had a name for us: the Grunch.

> And I think that is largely because it has been understood that there has
> to be decisions as to what education *is* before it - education -  can be
> accomplished.  And it has been understood that it would be irresponsible
> to let the markets *define* education.
> 
> That wisdom is in grave jeopardy.
> 
> As we see, the market defines education as  - what it can deliver.
> 
> Perhaps it's not.
> 
> 
> Art

But a lot of those IBM lifers and open source snake charmers, perl divers,
gemologists and so on, went to schools to learn CS, and still recognize
names like Princeton, Stanford, MIT, Caltech... and so on.  Behind the big
name companies are the big name schools, and cool little ones, less well
known, but with dynamite reputations among disciplined insiders.  Are these
the institutions you think are being usurped by the free market?  But
they're still players too, and usually get major influence over alumni, well
before the employers do.  I don't think Princeton feels eclipsed by any
"market force" -- not even Microsoft.

I think IBM and Microsoft and any number of education-minded firms, should
rev their engines as much as they like in the "we're helping kids learn"
marketing department.  Then back up those claims by delivering the goods or
take your hit on the big board.  It's not like the universities will thereby
become slaves to corporate masters, nor even that government agencies will
bow out of providing training.  Private individuals have tremendous impact
as well, acting as authors, creative geniuses.  Just look at Harry Potter.  

Bugs Bunny did more to educate America than most.  He had a few people
behind him, not millions, yet our media culture has indeed millions of these
powerful stars (consider cartoon figures alone, not forgetting Pokeman).  So
no, I'm not worried that IBM will eclipse the vast forest of other trees
that is our Education Planet.  Nor do I have any problem with IBM standing
strong and tall for a long while, the way trees tend to do.

Kirby