Re: Edutainment

[Bill Tihen <bill@tasis.ch>]

Hi all,

I guess "easy" is all in how one looks at it.  But here's how I define it
-- for better or worse.  Is the system similar to what they are used to --
compared to Macs and Windows.
Specifically:
	o Can they tweak the user interface simply?
	o Can they manage files simply and graphically?
	o Can they have access to a server graphically and easily?
	o Can they have access to the floppy drive graphically and easily?
	o Is there a word process that behaves in a standard way that double 
	  spaces and uses RTF format?
	o Is normal productivity software available?
	o Are there books available that describe the user interface so that 
	  students can learn the OS on their own -- this is important because 
	  at the moment my students are grouped by language ability not 
	  computer skills.  (So I have some just learning which way a floppy
	  fits in a computer -- some learning productivity software, some 
	  learning how to buy computers, some learning HTML/DHTML and some 
	  learning Java.  They must be able to work on their own and I help 
	  students as needed.  (I have 30 students in a class).  A bit rough, 
	  but that's life.
	o Can I secure the system without obscurity and still have an easily
 	  adjustable user and easy to use interface.

Administratively I define it differently, but I won't go into that.  

As for exactly, why my dept. Chair is afraid I can't say.  The above
represents my criteria.  Some of the above Linux shines in other areas it
doesn't.  I also know that many people see computers as a magic box and
they don't like changes because the magic incantations don't work anymore
-- or at least not properly.  Oddly, my department chair although a math
teacher leads the computer dept.  We have an other math chair altogether.
In anycase he is scared -- like it or not.  A big problem for him and other
math teachers is that they have wintel at home and cannot try the Linux
software at home.  Most of them don't have a dual boot machine and are not
comfortable setting-up and installing computers on their own.

I think it is okay that we start out with the realization that we have to
work our way into schools.  This is why I also feel that server type
applications are important now.  This will get more Linux in more schools.
Administrative and server solutions are incredibly expensive.  The
economics of Linux will help a lot.  It will just take time.  Once it is in
the server positions and kde & gnome are further along.  I think Linux will
be ripe for entry into mainstream use.  Commercial vendors will eventually
jump in and try to make money too -- although this is not OSS, I think this
will help because then the teachers won't have to learn something new --
they can just use their old friendly software on a new platform.  

I have been using it for nearly 6 years now.  I personally use Linux at
home and at school as a workstation and as a server platform.  I like Linux
a lot and integrate it as much as possible into the classroom.  I love all
the tools, servers, languages, stability, and security.  Linux also runs
nicely on minimal hardware.  Economics is always important at schools.  

As I've seen quoted before, "Unix is user friendly, it just picky about who
its friendly towards."  or something like that.  :)

Bill Tihen