[school-discuss] Feedback from Georgia Educational Technology Conference and a thought

[Daniel Howard <dhhoward@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Open Source Folk,

This past week, I gave a talk at the Georgia ETC on Open Source software 
for schools, and highlighted the Brandon story in particular.  Here's my 
abstract:

Session: 190 Title: Reviving Your Older Technology Using Linux Thin 
Client Software
Presenter: Daniel Howard, Georgia Open Source Education Foundation

Learn how older computers can be set up as high-performance, virus-free 
thin client workstations using the K12LTSP Free Open Source Software 
package (FOSS). The package includes the Linux operating system and 
dozens of software applications ranging from kindergarten to high school 
years and beyond, with an emphasis on math, science, and reading. 
Participants will learn how to freely obtain and install the software, 
configure their older school PCs as thin clients, and explore the new 
educational software applications included in the package. Participants 
will be given a set of installation disks at the end of the workshop, as 
well as a CD ROM they can use on their own computers that demonstrates 
how easy Linux and the new educational software applications are to use.

And here's a link to the other sessions: 
http://www.gaetc.org/sessions06/1sessions06.htm

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that there were more sessions on 
Open Source than I predicted (about 15), everything from using Knoppix 
for fixing Win XP machines(!) to Open Source email and web 
filtering/security solutions for schools.  Every session I attended, and 
mine, were nicely populated, and as we would expect, there were a lot of 
schools with old PCs that were not being used due to viruses, bad hard 
drives, etc.  I gave out Knoppix and WinOSS CDs, and K12LTSP DVDs to my 
attendees, plus we gave out disks at the booth that Jim Kinney set up, 
where he had a bunch of laptops and new thin clients (including the 
NTAVOs) on display for folks to play with the software.  All in all, a 
great success, and the buzz about Open Source is definitely getting out 
here in Georgia.

Based on some of the questions I got from school IT and CIO folk, I'd 
like to pose the following question for our group: Can we put together a 
complete Open Source solution for schools?  We could use both a 
classroom server model, as well as an enterprise model (fewer, more 
powerful servers in the MDF/IDF and Gigabit links to classrooms), but I 
want to include whatever servers and software would be required for all 
other school functions, including administrative, grading (OpenAdmin), 
email, web portal/wiki, client support/tracking (Nagios?), etc. Consider 
the question this way: If a brand new school/district came to us and 
asked for a complete, turnkey Open Source solution (assuming we got them 
a Linux consultant to integrate everything), what would we recommend?

On a satisfactory note, William just discovered that the SmartBoard 
interactive whiteboards from Smart Technologies have a Linux version of 
their software...the revolution continues.

Best regards,
Daniel
--
Daniel Howard
President and CEO
Georgia Open Source Education Foundation