RE: [school-discuss] How to present Linux to schools

[Daniel Carter <dcarter@friends.tas.edu.au>]

Kyle and Chris:

 >Then can we code an interface - open source application, paid for 
content?

That would be an excellent start.  I'm afraid I'm not in a prime 
position to code, homework and all, but I'd be happy to write some 
documentation sometime... after I find out what this program truly is, 
of course.

***

 >> Have you tried WINE?  Tux Typing... there's so much stuff.

 >Yup. Most of these programs use their own custom DLL's.

Very true.  All the more reason that we should start looking for
alternative.  I will be.

 >Hint: don't criticize what you don't know. I have pretty thick skin,
 >but I know a lot of people who would be completely turned off to
 >linux if I had that kind of attitude.

Hmm, I'll heed your advice.  I don't think it came across quite the 
way I intended - in hindsight, I probably sounded a bit harsh.  Still, 
I don't agree that it would put people off Linux, which has nothing to 
do with my faulty criticism of Accelerated Reader - probably just off me.

 >A true gem of software - not only in concept, but in implementation
 >as well. There's nothing really mysterious about it (in fact, the
 >interface and database could probably be coded in a couple of days),
 >but their database of grade-level appropriate books, and
 >comprehension testing is amazing.

I'll read all about it, then.

 >Refer to the question I asked in my last message about disadvantages
 >now vs. advantages later.

 >We're arguing the same point. What I know to be true is not what
 >many employers are asking for. The question then becomes "do I put
 >my students at a competitive disadvantage while looking for a job,
 >in order to put them at an advantage once they've gotten it?" It's a
 >valid question.

I don't think that teaching kids OpenOffice or Corel as opposed to 
Office is going to put them at an advantage once they've got jobs.  My 
opinion, highly influenced by my belief that the Free Software model 
produces higher quality software with more freedom, is that Free/Open 
Source products are simply a much better proposition to using a 
proprietary product.

The problem is, how to convince [inexperienced] employers that.

 >No, because they're worried about their kids getting jobs. They'll
 >only start asking these questions when employers start asking them.

 >Exactly. That's what I was saying. I HAVE seen an ad that asked for
 >4 years experience with WindowsXP. Just because nobody can meet that
 >qualification doesn't mean that some clueless employers won't ask
 >for it.

That does not detract from the fact that such a requirement is still 
an impossibility, and there is no option but to tell such employers 
that fact.  I doubt that employer got much response.  I only hope for 
his sake that someone does tell him/her.

 >...which reminds me to one of my favorite quotes - "Achieving the
 >impossible only means it will be added to your list of regular
 >duties."

How very true.  In this instance, however, one would need a time 
machine to achieve this impossibility.

Daniel Carter





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