Re: [school-discuss] Korea brings homegrown open source to schools

[Alec Couros <alec.couros@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Phil Carinhas wrote:

> On Thu, Jun 23, 2005 at 04:36:55PM -0600, Alec Couros wrote:
>  
>
> > Steve Hargadon wrote:
> >
> >    
> >
> > > On 6/23/05, Daniel Howard <daniel@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > >
> > >      
> > My only concern about instituting Linux into all these schools is that 
> > you are mandating now what teachers are expected to use. 
> >    
>
> You mean like how MS is mandated in many schools?
>  
Yes ... that was my point. Any technology mandated in a school is a 
mandated technology. I don't think you actually read my post.

>  
>
> > I think it's great that South Korea has gone ahead and discovered the
> > economic and technical benefits of Linux, and I think this will be really
> > interesting to see local support economies benefit from this as well.
> >    
>
> Poor school districts can barely afford software much less hardware. For
> them Linux and other free *nix systems makes a LOT of cents.
>  
Are you just supporting what I said?

>  
>
> > Still, when technologies are mandated or institutionalized, innovation and
> > flexibility can be be hindered.  What happens when the alternative becomes
> > the mandated, dominant force and the ONLY choice?
> >    
>
> That is very unlikely to happen, at least with Linux and OSX. MS seems to
> do a very good job of mandating with their incentive programs. I always
> wonder why people make the arguments of FOSS mandating when MS has been
> trying/doing that for a decade.
>
>  
Unlikely because...? Can you see the future?

Others have a done a great job supporting and/or picking apart my 
argument. I totally agree with those that say yes, in US (and other) 
schools, Linux is not meant to be the only choice. Teachers have access 
to Win, OS X, etc. machines. However, what I am saying (and I can't even 
tell if you are just echoing me or disagreeing ... except for this last 
point) is that when are mandated on particular 
design/package/architecture, you lose choice, and you are in the same 
position many North American schools are in today. My point is not 
against Linux, it's against dominance. I don't believe dominance, in any 
respect (curriculum, technology, etc.) is healthy for education.

> -Phil
> .--------------------------------------------------------.
> | Philip A. Carinhas      | http://fortuitous.com        | 
> | Fortuitous Technologies | Linux Consulting & Training  | 
> `--------------------------------------------------------'
>
>  

--
Alec Couros
Faculty of Education
University of Regina
Regina, SK
S4S0A2
http://www.educationaltechnology.ca/couros
"In a world without walls or fences, who needs Windows or Gates?"