This is encouraging news for future generations of PC Users.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6270657.stmThe European Commission has added its voice to the debate about the use of open source software.
A report funded by the Commission concludes that the software could offer considerable savings to organisations with little effect on their business.
The report found that in "almost all" cases long-term costs could be reduced by switching from proprietary software produced by firms such as Microsoft.
However, it warned that a move to open source could increase short term costs .This would be largely be due to increased training for users of the software, said the authors of the report who are based at the United Nations University in Maastricht
This view echoes those of 111 UK MPs who signed an early day motion in December 2006 to support the use of open source in schools.
The motion also criticised the "outdated" methods used to purchase software for schools that locked them into buying proprietary software.
This is of course the crux of an important matter, making sure our youngsters are taught alternative software usage besides the Microsoft platform will in the long term benfit all, those benefits will be reaped many years into the future when the enhanced pool of possible programmers will be prepared to hasten the end of the global monopoly MS has to date enjoyed.