Open source use at UAL?

"However, it seems to me that both projects (and I must confess I have not followed the progress in detail) have failed to address what I consider a critical issue: open source software. It seems to me that it is pointless to talk about openness of resources when in most universities, including UAL, these resources are primarily delivered through closed systems such as Microsoft and Apple platforms. A (rather unsuccessful) metaphor would be discussing the possibility for me to run in a stadium instead of my back garden, when my feet are chained... I think it is impossible to ask for a cultural shift in sharing resources when we teach our students that they have to pay for their software and be confined in its use by the

company which sells it.

So please, if there is a chance this afternoon, do mention that I made this contribution over email and apologise on my behalf for not being there. I truly wish I could make it."

I'd be happy to follow this up in more detail with you. There is a DIAL group forming at the moment addressing these issues and ALTO, process.arts have been addressing these issues over the past couple of years so internal support and debate around these issues are greatly encouraged.

Below I've selected few links, please follow related items on each for more.

process.arts is built using Drupal and the code is being developed as an open source project to be shared and developed.

We are also working and developing and using other open source systems.

Please feel free to start a blog post on DIAl to discuss this openly, please let me know if youd like to do this, you will need to join the blog - http://dial.myblog.arts.ac.uk/