[PLUG-TALK] Re: [PLUG] Debian experts?

Rich Shepard rshepard at appl-ecosys.com
Wed Feb 21 19:07:41 UTC 2007


On Wed, 21 Feb 2007, Ed Sawicki wrote:

> 3. I think we need to go out of our way to make it clear when technologies
> are NOT created by market leaders, such as Intel, and monopolists, such as
> Microsoft. Sort of an affirmative action program. Far too often, people
> give Microsoft credit for technologies developed by others. In another
> survey, most of my students said that Microsoft created SQL. Only one gave
> a different answer with a smile that suggested that the other students
> were dummies and he knew the answer; he said Oracle.

Ed,

   This is not at all surprising. There are many studies that have
demonstrated the appalling lack of knowlege about geography (many high
school students cannot locate their home state on an outline map of the
country), name their elected officials (from the local to the federal
levels) or Supreme Court justices, or many other facts we take for granted.

   Too many students and adults are innumerate.

   Query state (or federal) legislators on science and see how little they
know, even on the subjects of bills they sponsor or on which they vote.

   This is why I feel throwing more money at the current educational system
is as effective as throwing it in the river. We need to rething the entire
system of educating everyone because we've failed terribly for decades.

Rich

-- 
Richard B. Shepard, Ph.D.               |    The Environmental Permitting
Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc.        |          Accelerator(TM)
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