Re: [school-discuss] How to properly outfit a learning-system for children?

[jeff williams <cfiaime@nconnect.net>]

On Tuesday 20 May 2003 11:22 pm, David Harsany Crusoe wrote:

> I ask you, people of school-forge: how would you configure a *simple*
> learning system for children? Would you consider using ugly Win98/OS
> software, if you perceived linux support to pose a future problem? If
> choosing Linux, how might you avoid such support issues? Most importantly,
> what opportunities would you highlight to children (and their parents)
> should they be faced with the "linux learning curve", and what might be
> included in training sessions?

Greetings,

I'd give them Linux -- probably not RedHat 9 which seems to be pretty bloated, 
but maybe Slackware 9.  Add Open Office (which looks like MS Office).

With the license hassles of Windows, that is not really an option.  With the 
reliability problems of Windows (annual or semi-annual reinstall) that is not 
an option unless you can give the kids a CD with the operating system.

Nope, it becomes a marketing thing.  "Hey, you are getting the LATEST software 
-- it was released in late March, and the Open Office isn't much older."  
"Hey, you are getting an operating system that runs on the big IBM 
mainframes, and powers half the internet.  What are your friends running?  
Windows 98?  Isn't that about 5 years old now, and it won't run the latest 
version of Microsoft programs?"

I'd add a typing program (TuxTyping comes to mind) and a selection of 
educational applications.  Hmmm, sounds about like the systems I'm proposing 
to our local school district.

-- 
jeff williams - cfiaime@nconnect.net
                jeff.williams@cuw.edu