Re: [school-discuss] Throwing Themselves Into Technology

[Richard Andrews <bbmaj7@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 
Feb 
17, 
2008 
8:35 
PM, 
Joel 
Kahn 
<jj2kk4@xxxxxxxxx> 
wrote:
> > 
I 
think 
it 
is 
a 
hopeful 
sign 
that 
Micro$oft, 
with 
their
> > 
Vista 
fiasco, 
has 
finally 
managed 
to 
produce 
a 
line 
of
> > 
products 
so 
horrendous 
that 
the 
victims 
are, 
at 
long 
last,
> > 
forced 
out 
of 
their 
inert 
lethargy 
and 
into 
looking 
at
> 
> Don't 
bet 
on 
it. 
MS 
is 
coming 
out 
with 
Windows 
7 
next 
year 

> to 
cover over 
the 
bomb 
that 
is 
Vista, 
just 
like 
Windows 

> 2000 
covered 
over WindowsME.

Win2k and WinME were separate product streams (NT versus Workgroups kernels); but I think you're probably right with the analysis.

Right or wrong, I think it is going to be a common event to have pie-in-the-sky school ICT projects hitting the ground with a thud. We should perhaps reflect on ways that FOSS-based communities like schoolforge can ride to the rescue on a charging white metaphor of our choice.

When the a project like this fails, consider the position of the principal or district admin responsible. They will be in damage control: equipment purchase, licenses paid in full; but a project that is stagnant and borderline unusable. I think there is a space for FOSS communities to rescue schools at this point and garner technical kudos and good will within districts. The stark contrast between community and commercial software is that the former cares that the outcome is a success for the users; while the latter cares only that the legally binding acceptance criteria are achieved to trigger payment in full.

Word-of-mouth is the only advertising medium available to FOSS. It is important to have the right words coming out of the right mouths.

--
  Rich





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