[seul-edu] Basic System Wish List

["Jeff L." <tackweed@whidbey.net>]

Most of the recent threads sealing with Linux in school appear to
have turned into technical discussions which rapidly leave me far
behind.  I have minimal experience with Linux (6.2 installed on a
system with Win 98) but I have seen enough to make me want to
pursue what is apparently a less popular path.

I have a number of computers in my classroom - most are 486/early
pentiums. Those with network cards are running Win95.  That
accounts for 6 computers.  I still have about 8 which my district
chooses to not support (i.e., no software) so I am looking for a
version of linux to install which would allow a basic spreadsheet
program with some graphing (similar to Lotus 123), some word
processing, and a program which would allow programming
exercises.

Most of my "programming" has been in BASIC, VBasic, some Perl and
some Javascript.  I have looked at Python and am "sort of"
working with C++

The problem is that the machines are 8 meg RAM 486 - smallish
hardrives (40 megs?) and a 1.44 floppy.  Currently they have bare
bones DOS.

I assume that there is a Linux equivalent of a batch file which
could be used to set up a simple menu to launch these programs.

Any suggestions on what I need and how to get it (I can probably
download - 26.4 max rate*) on floppies?

*I do have a Win2000 network machine at school so I could
download that way - assuming I could  switch the files to
appropriate disks at home..

Probably the main reason I bring this up is that most schools are
probably not going to be anywhere near the technology level that
is being pushed by the sales forces.

Probably too many people are being left  on the wrong side of the
digital divide because older technology - while sitting in scrap
heaps - is not being actively supported - even though the
computing power is still there.

Maybe the Linux groups can actively do something about that - but
it will require less - not more technology.  Hopefully "less" can
also become "better"

Thank You,

Jeff LeMieux