More Problems For Microsoft

British agency reports the company to the Office of Fair Trading and advises school not to sign licensing agreements.

It hasn’t been Microsoft’s year for getting along with Becta, the British government’s technologyagency. Back in January, the agency issued two reports, one regarding Microsoft’s Academic Licensing arrangements that highlighted a number of fundamental concerns impacting on choice, and the otheron the interoperability of Windows Vista and Office 2007.   Becta and Microsoft have been in talks since, but little seems to have been resolved. Last week Becta made a complaint to the Office of Fair Trading for “alleged anti-competitive practices by Microsoft in the schools software marketplace and in relation to Microsoft’s approach to documentinteroperability.” It’s also advising schools not to sign licensing agreements with Microsoft.   According to the agency, the hope is that the complaint will prompt Microsoft toaddress the issues.   It’s an important bone of contention since the teaching of Information and Communication Technology is very important in British schools, and products have to belicensed. In a statement, Becta has said, “If licensing Microsoft products is an imperative they should consider using a perpetual agreement such as ‘Select’ until such time as the OFT haveresponded to our complaint. If schools have already entered into a School Agreement licensing model they should consider their renewal and their buyout options alongside any findings the OFT maymake. Becta’s advice to schools in relation to the deployment of Office 2007 remains that schools and colleges should only deploy Office 2007 when its interoperability with alternative products issatisfactory. That would necessarily imply effective support by Microsoft of the internationally approved ODF file format.” Becta’s final reports on the issues are expected next year.Meanwhile the agency is taking a tough stance, and said, “Becta is determined to get the best deal it can for schools and indeed for the wider educational system, and to make it ascost-effective and convenient as possible for educational customers to acquire the ICT products and services they choose. This demands an effective educational ICT marketplace and the avoidance ofimpediments to effective competition and choice.”