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Re: [school-discuss] Feedback needed from teachers for the



On Friday 05 April 2002 07:40 am, you wrote:
> Not all US schools have adequate bandwidth, but I have wondered in the past
> about serving webbased apps locally. All linux distributions have web
> servers, so why couldn't you develop cross platform apps that were just
> served off the local web server over the LAN. I don't think everything
> should be web based.
>
great point.
[one of] the big benefit[s] of open source is to leverage available software, 
but also to liberate software from implementation strategy.

a focus on html as opposed to internet moves a good way along that axis.

for ourselves, we are investing in developing technology that outputs 
materials to VHS, audio cd and cassette - where blank media can be had for < 
$1.  being able to port outputs to a closed circuit TV system in a school is 
also important. (most schools here have closed circuit TV systems in every 
room and not enough computers).

for the electrically disinclined educators, we found partners that can publish
600 page tomes (an algebra II textbook for less than $6 including shipping 
and insurance), and we are trying to integrate book binding into mass 
production printing stations built around copiers and PCs.

but there are a slew of technologies that were touted, from the mid-80s to 
mid-90s,  that have found their way to the elephant's graveyard [lots of that
down here in the south] and probably didn't deserve to.  if you make a living
in technology you have to turn your back on these, turn your back on life or
wrap them in new delivery mechanisms.  for many of us, this is a survival 
issue.

> Maybe we need to take a snap shot of education systems throughout the world
> to get a better understanding of what we need to target. 

if that worked, the UN [or some combination of legislative bodies]would be a 
better venue than this mailing list.  doesn't the mailing list serve that 
exact purpose [creating a snapshot]?  you can't compel anyone to give you the 
data you need, it does have to be discovered or volunteered.

>
> > Anne-Marie
>
> Michael