Re: [school-discuss] I: ALT Linux LTSP5 server installer beta available

[Michael Shigorin <mike@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, Oct 16, 2007 at 09:02:24AM -0700, Justin wrote:
> >>A quick question, the CNews article from awhile back refers
> >>to ALT Linux as well as Russian OS.  Is the correct way to
> >>reference it 'ALT Linux'?
> >I know no "Russian OS"; there were a few attempts to (ab)use
> >that, as well there's at least one Linux-related project long
> >sponsored by government/army.
> I guess the article did focus quite a bit on breaking the hold
> of 'foreign' software, when 'where' the software is from has
> little to do with the licensing expenses that have led to this
> situation. 

Well one of the recent motions (a filing/request by a deputy)
referred to unauthorized modifications to several files by
Microsoft... guess those more informed of concerned are more
cautios about non-auditable software even more than about just 
"foreign" one.

There's another trend against closed source software being
developed for government locally, with somewhat similar focus
on security/integrity/long-term maintenance problems.

> If Russia is considering utilizing something like this every
> school computer by 2009, it would be interesting to learn what
> sort of steps ALT Linux is taking to prepare for such a
> deployment - Alexey Novodvorsky noted a infrastructure would
> need to be built for development/support/and information.

Actually some part of the infrastructure was being built since 
2001 -- the community, the technology, and partnership.

I've enjoyed the first two since 2002 and we became ALT's partner
#1 back in 2004.

There's much more to do indeed, especially in terms of "covering
the ground" state-wide and explaining their own interest to local
engineers and teachers altogether.  Many would rather see free
software as yet another headache to learn, not an opportunity to,
well, learn and probably save some time on IT maintenance or earn
some money together with the more incentive students utilizing
the experience gained.

> Thanks for the clarification.

Welcome.

-- 
 ---- WBR, Michael Shigorin <mike@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  ------ Linux.Kiev http://www.linux.kiev.ua/
 ----       Oct 26--27, Kiev, Ukraine:
--       http://conference.osdn.org.ua