Grade knocked down for not using MS word...

[PhreQuencYViii]

I had to do a useless Word assignment for a class, pretty much type a paragraph on comp security, make it look like a newsletter, throw in an image, and use a wordart thingy. Anyhow, I don't use Word, I have open Office. i'm not paying for fucking word. Anyhow, OO doesn't have wordart (or Abiword, whatever I used) so I made something that looked completly similair with Ms Paint and threw it on there. When I got graded I got a 0 on the wordart section for not using wordart, I said I don't actually have MS Word but something that works basically the same, and the teacher basically said too bad, you need MS word because its an "MS Office certification" class. Bullshit I say. I still got a good grade so I don't care but it's still retarded that they force you to buy MS crap or Adobe this and that etc. Is the reason why that the schools get money from MS and the like for pushing there products?

[ASSEMbler]

Was a pc with MS product on it available to you in a lab? If so, you're screwed. If not, it's something that should have been part of the
admission fees.

You could also try to get a student purchase through the book store of the MS product.

Either way, I would write the professor a short, polite letter and explain your financial hardship and that you are trying your best. Ask that she reconsider your grade and I bet the professor will.

You get more with sugar than vinegar.

[PhreQuencYViii]

Hehehe, the funny thing is i've been using OpenOffice the whole time and his is the only prob i've ran into. I even used it for the boring Excel and Powerpoint sections. They do have PC's with that crap on them here though, it's an online class though and "here" is an hour away. They have office here through the student bookstore (I got vista from there for cheap...) but I don't wanna buy it. Especially when it's MORE then Vista was and right now i'd have to pay out of pocket since it's later on and the class is almost done. I guess I can't bitch too much but it still kind of sucks you can't just use the freeware programs and be fine. This whole "MS this and that" certification crap is annoying.

[Smithy]

If the point of the class is for MS Office certification.. then it would make sense to actually be using MS Office... unless I misunderstood you

[Taucias]

you need MS word because its an "MS Office certification" class.

Says it all, really. A no brainer, surely?

[PhreQuencYViii]

nononoon, this class leads to the ms certifications. This is suppose to be a general computer class. Blah, I need to learn how to type.

My point is that it seems like schools have been making people use stuff like MS office with no contest and don't seem to realize theres other stuff.

[Barc0de]

for example here in our Uni, they ask us to submit in MS Word's DOC format. They don't restrict the use of compatible applications though.

[Tachikoma]

My point is that it seems like schools have been making people use stuff like MS office with no contest and don't seem to realize theres other stuff.

Seeing as probably 80% if not more of computerized companies use Office, it would be kind of daft for them to teach something else.

[PhreQuencYViii]

Blah..I guess so.

Funny thing I noticed, the internet here just slowed down a ton and I looked behind me and theres like 5 kids streaming music videos and stuff from youtube and myspace.

[Mqark]

Most Schools / Colleges / Universities that expect you to produce work in MS Word would have freely available machines with the appropriate software installed - you could have done the majority of your work in OO and just did the bit you needed quickly in Word.

Still - from my experience schoolwork was graded by weight... you just didn't put enough filler pages in to bulk it up ;) (a valuable lesson has just been taught - don't try to use that trick at work though, it doesn't go down well)

[PhreQuencYViii]

lool, I just reread what I typed this morning after getting some sleep and I have no idea what the hell I was trying to say. Please bear with me as I've been going through some stuff and probably losing more of my mind as time goes on.

[mairsil]

I have deducted points for less when I have graded assignments. Seriously though, if the assignment called for something specific and you didn't include that, well...

[Taucias]

As a rant about Microsoft monopolies it is a valid point though. Microsoft don't even need to try any more, their software has become part of the PC experience and proficiency with it has become an expectation.

From this experience know one thing. It is not only your educational institution that will expect you to be MS Office savy. Your future employer probably will too, if you are working with PCs that is.

[APE]

I'd have gone out and used Word2.0 or something just to spite them. I still use Office 2k as it's compatible with the latest Office and serves my needs perfectly.

[GaijinPunch]

You're in America. Grow some balls and do the American thing: Sue the fuck out of your teacher for anti-competitive behavior, amongst other things. Might want to say he tried to touch you too!

[PhreQuencYViii]

Lmao! Good advice.

It's an online class so maybe I should say he/she sent me goatse!

[GaijinPunch]

I was just talking about shock pictures in an IRC room. Someone was going to automatically send them to porn bots.

My best advice for your well being is to not google "lemon party", but you might want to send it to your teacher.

[mairsil]

Lmao! Good advice.

It's an online class so maybe I should say he/she sent me goatse!

Hmm, let's see how many tries to guess the school... UMUC?

[ServiceGames]

I was just talking about shock pictures in an IRC room. Someone was going to automatically send them to porn bots.

My best advice for your well being is to not google "lemon party", but you might want to send it to your teacher.

Oh the horror!!!
I had just finally forgotten about that pic, now I'm scarred again.

[Barc0de]

googled lemon party. Didn't know old folks could get it up :p