"It will come as little surprise to anybody that open source software can save schools money. Even so, expect the publication of the study from the British Educational Communications and Technology Association (BECTA) into this issue to arrive on Friday amid a cloud of PR flak from some proprietary software vendors claiming that their software is actually cheaper in the long run.
"But if vendors of proprietary software really want schools--and other organisations where IT budgets are as tight as a PE teacher's tracksuit--to choose their licences over the open source alternative, it is not just price they need to concentrate minds on, but perception..."
