::fibreculture:: The eternal questions

[Katie Cavanagh]

Hi All,

Some divides run deep within our communities. Mac vs. PC, Dog Lover vs. Cat
Lover, Open Source vs. Commercial Software... these are the modern "eternal
questions". There is room for all and probably a judicious mix of both is the
optimal solution. We are using DSpace (open source digital archiving) and the
university sector as whole is developing and sharing tools. There is no need
for everyone to have an army of programmers. We create and share on an as-needs
basis.  We are not locked-in to any specific company and it is working
beautifully. The key seems to be the critical mass of institutes involved.
There are numerous "big-name" universities using the software, so there is an
element of security that the software will continue to improve. It seems an
example of the open source movement at its functional best.

There are some software packages that we use constantly and it is prudent to
continue to support them as they are tools that we use with comfort. They cost
the university an arm and a leg, but we pay because they ease the flow of tasks
and information. The lack of uptake of WebCT amongst lecturers suggests that it
is not (for a number of reasons) the optimal solution. Regarding the IP issue,
when talking with lectures as to why they dislike it so very much it seems that
it does not suit their needs in terms of functioning as a useful tool.
Attempting to work with WebCT "wastes time" and "is very frustrating".
Certainly when my bandwidth gets throttled I avoid it like the plague. I
suspect there will come a time when we will have to change packages because it
is expensive and the students don't like it either.

Surely every situation sould be measured individually and the best option, be it
open source or commercial, should be utilised. A healthy mix. 

Cheers,
Katie Cavanagh
Digital Media Lecturer
Flinders University, South Australia