[Author Prev][Author Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Author Index][Thread Index]
Re: [school-discuss] Linux Laptop
Joel,
The board I work doesn't completely understand about Linux/Open Source but
it's more my manager of IT that prefers Windows etc.
Our teacher consultant suggested that our approach should be a grass roots
one. So we started by introducing Open Source Software for Windows. Using
Tuxpaint, OpenOffice etc to show how there is great software at no cost. We
have put some OSS on our current windows image.
Our secondary schools were running Linux servers for a couple of years
before new management decided to go with 2003 Server but at least we proved
it could be done. Before the changes OO was going to be used instead of MS
Office and OO cds were going to be burned and left in the library for
students to borrow. They could install it at home and return the cd. (Now
parents are forced to buy MS Office for home using $$$).
Starting small would raise less attention (for managment) but kids would
benefit especially younger grades with say Tuxpaint and Tuxmath.
Hope this helps.
Jason
On 4/4/06, Joel Kahn <jj2kk4@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> From the responses to my last posting, I can see that
> I am still not making my situation clear enough. Here
> is some more info that may help.
>
> Awhile back I purchased the book "Point & Click Linux"
> that includes the Mepis liveCD. The first machine that
> I tried it out on was an old Win98 box with only 128MB
> of RAM, a four gig hard drive, and a *really* yucky
> video card. Still, the distro ran OK from CD-ROM, and
> the install to the HD when I finally took the plunge
> wasn't too bad either. However, I still have trouble
> using the computer's CD writer, and I also run into
> some issues when I try to install new apps--mostly, I
> think, due to my own remaining ignorance of Linux, and
> lack of time to learn all of the stuff that I need to.
>
> There is old hardware around, both at school and home,
> that I could bring together to make a small
> thin-client test setup; there is just not enough time
> to set up such a thing--not to mention the lack of
> support from the people around me. "Don't rock the
> boat" is a strong message coming from all directions.
> Questioning the Windows orthodoxy here really tends to
> be interpreted as challenging authority.
>
> A well-configured Linux laptop, over which I had
> complete control, would be something that I could use
> specifically where and when I needed it. Unlike the
> Knoppix-Mepis-liveCD-style scenario, a laptop can be
> taken into any room that may be the best place for me
> to meet someone, whether that room has a computer
> already or not; also, if everything on the laptop has
> been set up the way it should be in the first place, I
> won't have to worry about any kind of local
> hardware-specific glitches making Linux look bad to
> skeptical (if not downright hostile) observers who
> don't know any better. I know that setting up a demo
> thin-client network would be the best way to show what
> the real FLOSS benefits can be, but I'm just not in a
> good position to do that in the near term.
>
> If nobody in this group is in a good position to help
> me out directly, perhaps I should be looking at some
> kind of grant from the appropriate FLOSS-related
> organization. I'm open to suggestions. . . .
>
> JK
>
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
> http://mail.yahoo.com
>
------=_Part_23470_27427928.1144243104949
Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Disposition: inline
Joel,<br><br>The board I work doesn't completely understand about Linux/Open Source but it's more my manager of IT that prefers Windows etc.<br><br>Our teacher consultant suggested that our approach should be a grass roots one. So we started by introducing Open Source Software for Windows. Using Tuxpaint, OpenOffice etc to show how there is great software at no cost. We have put some OSS on our current windows image.
<br><br>Our secondary schools were running Linux servers for a couple of years before new management decided to go with 2003 Server but at least we proved it could be done. Before the changes OO was going to be used instead of MS Office and OO cds were going to be burned and left in the library for students to borrow. They could install it at home and return the cd. (Now parents are forced to buy MS Office for home using $$$).
<br><br>Starting small would raise less attention (for managment) but kids would benefit especially younger grades with say Tuxpaint and Tuxmath.<br><br>Hope this helps.<br><br>Jason<br><br><br><br><br><div><span class="gmail_quote">
On 4/4/06, <b class="gmail_sendername">Joel Kahn</b> <<a href="mailto:jj2kk4@xxxxxxxxx";>jj2kk4@xxxxxxxxx</a>> wrote:</span><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
>From the responses to my last posting, I can see that<br>I am still not making my situation clear enough. Here<br>is some more info that may help.<br><br>Awhile back I purchased the book "Point & Click Linux"
<br>that includes the Mepis liveCD. The first machine that<br>I tried it out on was an old Win98 box with only 128MB<br>of RAM, a four gig hard drive, and a *really* yucky<br>video card. Still, the distro ran OK from CD-ROM, and
<br>the install to the HD when I finally took the plunge<br>wasn't too bad either. However, I still have trouble<br>using the computer's CD writer, and I also run into<br>some issues when I try to install new apps--mostly, I
<br>think, due to my own remaining ignorance of Linux, and<br>lack of time to learn all of the stuff that I need to.<br><br>There is old hardware around, both at school and home,<br>that I could bring together to make a small
<br>thin-client test setup; there is just not enough time<br>to set up such a thing--not to mention the lack of<br>support from the people around me. "Don't rock the<br>boat" is a strong message coming from all directions.
<br>Questioning the Windows orthodoxy here really tends to<br>be interpreted as challenging authority.<br><br>A well-configured Linux laptop, over which I had<br>complete control, would be something that I could use<br>specifically where and when I needed it. Unlike the
<br>Knoppix-Mepis-liveCD-style scenario, a laptop can be<br>taken into any room that may be the best place for me<br>to meet someone, whether that room has a computer<br>already or not; also, if everything on the laptop has
<br>been set up the way it should be in the first place, I<br>won't have to worry about any kind of local<br>hardware-specific glitches making Linux look bad to<br>skeptical (if not downright hostile) observers who<br>don't know any better. I know that setting up a demo
<br>thin-client network would be the best way to show what<br>the real FLOSS benefits can be, but I'm just not in a<br>good position to do that in the near term.<br><br>If nobody in this group is in a good position to help
<br>me out directly, perhaps I should be looking at some<br>kind of grant from the appropriate FLOSS-related<br>organization. I'm open to suggestions. . . .<br><br>JK<br><br><br>__________________________________________________
<br>Do You Yahoo!?<br>Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around<br><a href="http://mail.yahoo.com";>http://mail.yahoo.com</a><br></blockquote></div><br>
------=_Part_23470_27427928.1144243104949--