Re: Mission Statement

["Chris Hobbs" <chobbs@silvervalley.k12.ca.us>]

I'll step into the fray, if no-one minds :-)

Marshal Anderson wrote:

> > "Seul-edu intends to make Linux the best computer operating system for
> > educational purposes.
>
> This is a great opening sentance.

I think this is great as well - in fact, as a Mission Statement, it may just be
complete.

> I think I would benefit from a discussion
> on the nature of OSs and their relationship with educational use. In other
> words, what is it about Linux that makes it good for education, and in what
> ways is it better for education (or can we make it better) than existing
> OSs?

In a sense, OS is unimportant in education, at least relative to applications.
Obviously, having an OS is useless in any field without appropriate
applications, which is where I think seul-edu is trying to improve the scene.

However, assuming for a moment that applications appropriate to your curriculum
are available, then the next thing to evaluate is the OS you wish to run in
your organization.

If you have a few minutes, please view my site at
http://www.silvervalley.k12.ca.us/chobbs/xterms - it describes the systems we
are rolling out this fall at our high school campus. Since the school first
decided _what_ they wanted to teach WRT technology (instead of saying "Let's
buy a bunch of Macs", or Windows PC's, or Amigas, or whatever, like so many
schools do...), I was able to demonstrate that Linux had the applications
available that would be fit the curriculum they had outlined, but provided
significant cost and administration benefits - these are significant, tangible,
real world benefits, which administrators (principals, superintendents, not
sysadmins :-) can understand and appreciate.

My guess is that most of the folks involved in seul-edu are fans of Linux, and
would like to see it used in as many places as possible. They (I won't speak of
"we" yet, as I've only just found this list, though I feel like I'm on the same
page as well) also obviously care about the education of children, and would
like to see what they believe to be a superior OS used in that environment.
They know the reality is that until the applications are available and easy
enough for the average teacher and student to use, Linux is not an option in
most schools.

Anyway, hope my rambling wasn't too far off track,

--
Chris Hobbs chobbs@silvervalley.k12.ca.us|Network Admin | Web/Postmaster
Silver Valley Unified School District    |MCP - TCP/IP  |       J.A.P.H.
http://www.silvervalley.k12.ca.us/chobbs |A witty saying proves nothing.
                                                              - Voltaire