Re: [school-discuss] Talking Linux in School is a Serious Blunder!

[cdmiller <cdmiller@xxxxxxxxx>]

Michael Dean wrote:
> I think that it is a major blunder to view any rational thrust into the 
> schools adaptation of Open Source as a Linux initiative.  Especially 
> when schools, who are goal and objective driven, must sift through 
> thousands of duplicatory packages, many of dubious quality,  that 
> comprise what I call the "kitchen sink" distros such as Redhat, Suse, 
> Mandrake and Debian.  We must, instead look at open source as a 
> collection of tools to bbe selected from the perspective of the teachers 
> and admins.  We must produce an Educational System which is based on a 
> minimalist, goal driven philosophy.  FreeBSD would work equally well in 
> schools, and it has a more rational license.  I am collecting papers for 
> an edited books on Transforming Schools Through Goal Driven Open Source 
> Software.  Any educator, or professional who can produce any 
> contribution to this title would be welcome to submit.  Thanks you.
> --

I fail to see how an honest discussion of "goal driven open source 
software" would not include Linux.

You may just as well have stated: I think that it is a major blunder to 
view any rational thrust into the schools adaptation of Open Source as a 
BSD initiative.  Especially when schools, who are goal and objective 
driven, must sift through thousands of duplicatory packages, many of 
dubious quality,  that comprise what I call the "kitchen sink" distros 
such as FreeBSD, NetBSD, and OpenBSD.  We must, instead look at open 
source as a collection of tools to bbe selected from the perspective of 
the teachers and admins.  We must produce an Educational System which is 
based on a minimalist, goal driven philosophy.  Ubuntu Linux would work 
equally well in schools, and it has a more rational license...

- cameron