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

[Massimiliano Mirra <mmirra@libero.it>]

David Harsany Crusoe <dhcjournalism@optonline.net> writes:

> Children will most likely want to run the same software
> their peers may be using, and the schools in town are
> Windows-based. 

They will be running a word processor just like their peers do, they
will be running a spreadsheet just like their peers do, they will be
running a windowing environment just like their peers do, and so on.
We're not talking about apples and oranges here, we're just talking
about (less and less) different varieties of oranges.

> 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? 

I would do, and am doing with novices to completely computer
illiterates, by letting them try out Knoppix and then installing it
for them if they like it.  It takes just a couple of minutes to create
a root partition, a home partition and a swap partition, then you can
go out and have a coffee while the already configured system installs
itself on the hard disk.

I don't hand them the root password immediately.  I configure the ssh
service to boot at startup, register for them a dynamic DNS at
dyndns.org, and help them out remotely if they have to do something
their user hasn't permission to do.  You would be marvelled at how
much they're glad to *not* know the root password, as this gives them
the reassurance that they cannot destroy the system even if they do
the most stupid thing in the world, and how they rejoice at the idea
that they don't need to unplug the heavy thing and carry it to a shop
each time they need assistance.

I also bet the local LUG would be happy to support you in such a
setup.

> 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?

The user-side learning curve of an installed and configured Linux
system pretty much coincides with that of a Windows system.