I have chosen to take a DB course at Uni for next Sem. But I am concerned that all we are going to learn is MS Access stuff. I’m fine with that, but I think it is beneficial to learn OTHER THINGS TOO. In some correspondence with the lecturer, I received this email. I just gasp at the answer, but have no retort. I find my Uni is very pro-MS, which is fine, but they should also teach other technologies too. A technologically homogeneous computing environment, I believe, it very unhealthy, and ripe for exploitation and attack. Also, a wide breadth of knowledge of so-called “alternative” software technologies is much healthier for a world that is slowly, bit-by-bit, moving away from a MS-centred diet. For example, the intro to programming course is C#; all the PCs are outfitted with MS Office '07 (they DO have OOo which is nice, and firefox 3). They’re advanced programming classes are all .NET centric. The 4th (or 3rd?) level of one of the campus buildings is an Microsoft e-Research centre. Your hard-pressed to find classes on PHP, Python, GNU/Linux, MySQL, etc. in any of the curriculae.
Below is a copy of the emails. What would you say to “Bob”?
> Hello again
>
> I have re-read the course outline for xxxyyy, but I have an outstanding
> question which I cannot seem to find the answer. Does this course cover
> any material about databases that DOES not include microsoft-only
> software and/or tools? QUT seems to be heavily focused on popular
> microsoft technologies and products. I’m wondering if there are
> lectures on using mysql or another free database system as well
> (postgresql)? Please excuse my ignorance as it relates to databases
> (and many, many, other things
>
>
> -Felipe-
Hi Felipe,
QUT focuses heavily on software that is in widespread use, worldwide.
In many cases, but not all, that means Microsoft.INN210 focuses mainly on SQL and general principles of databases.
We have three weeks on MS Access, in the second half of the semester.We don’t use mysql, but using postgresql is an option you can choose
for the SQL part of the unit. We provide an introduction to postgresql,
in the first practical (week 2).