Re: [school-discuss] linux distributions for low resource computers

["David M. Bucknell" <dbucknell@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dear Ralph,

Looks like that school had the right idea.  Impressive -- where most  
can only wish they could go.

A little preaching to the choir:

As a fellow international school type, I suggest you chalk this change  
up to the fact that, as you know, international schools are political  
animals.  Things can and will change quickly.  Keep the fires burning  
among those in the school who appreciate learning and the free/open  
source ethic that matches what these schools _say_ they are about  
(point out the similarities between the free software ethic and that  
of the life-long learner).  A new board, head, out-spoken parent,  
interested student will arrive and you'll hear them: Oh, really? I  
didn't know it could do that/ was about that.

In the meantime, demonstrate by example with those willing to play  
fair.  A good way to go is to argue against monoculture, even mono  
linux.  Mix and match and enable choice -- that's what MS says it  
wants to allow.  Watch.  An even playing field will not end up with  
everyone using MS.  There's a place for Macs, where there's enough  
money.  There is a place in each dept and at each level for Linux,  
too.  Sometimes, it will be first place.

/end preaching.

Congratulations on what sounds like very positive involvement.  Keep  
up the good momentum.

Best wishes and happy birthday!

David

 ----- Message from deal@xxxxxxxx ---------
    Date: Mon, 02 Jun 2008 08:34:50 +0200
    From: "Ralph M. Deal" <deal@xxxxxxxx>
Reply-To: schoolforge-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 Subject: Re: [school-discuss] linux distributions for low resource computers
      To: schoolforge-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
      Cc: Ralph Deal <deal@xxxxxxxx>


> I know exactly how you feel, Christian Einfeldt, in finding powerful
> LINUX systems being rejected for brand reasons.  I am the husband of an
> international school in Germany and a LINUX fan.  When we arrived in
> this school, they had a Gentoo server on an old moderately powerful
> computer.  The computers in classrooms, staffroom, and computer lab
> were dual-boot W2000/Edubuntu donated computers, many Compaq's with 256
> RAM and 10-15GB drives.  In this system, the functioning applications
> were resident on the user computers, with some drivers and installation
> programs resident on the server.  Delighted to find an educational IT
> system in place with a LINUX system, I've been an active volunteer
> working with our IT person who recently quit.
>
> I just had supper with our new IT guru, a Windows-only enthusiast who
> is installing a full M$ system, including the servers.  The main
> driving force for this transformation has been the administration and
> teachers, many of whom consider LINUX a tinkerer's toy.  Small
> difficulties in transforming Word documents written on M$ systems at
> home to OO on school computers (either operating systems) have them
> crying for M$ software.  Unlike Christian Einfeldt whose students were
> rejecting LINUX, our students have not complained about Edubuntu and
> most prefer to work there instead of W2000.
>
> In my case, it is too late to undo the damage but I sure would like to
> know how to effectively battle with administrators who think that using
> LINUX is not really professional.  Please do not suggest that I become
> an administrator myself - not appropriate since I just had my 77th
> birthday.
>
> Best,  Ralph


----- End message from deal@xxxxxxxx -----



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