Old Linux machines

[Malonowa <malonowa@wanadoo.fr>]

Rob Bellville wrote:

> At 01:55 7/5/99 +0200, you wrote:
> >One of my main objectives is to not run Linux for Linux-sake. It is my
> responsibility to supply stable, easy to use computer services to my users
> (staff, students, and administrators). They rely on me to sift thru the
> technobabble and deliver educational and office solutions that work. If
> Linux is the way, then Linux it will be. Currently it is not. Being a Linux
> aficionado, I'd like to change that. <grin>
>
>
> Ah, you've never worked in a school, huh? <grin> I've got a VERY technology
> literate student body that can find holes. But realistically, things do
> happen, for example, the teacher *may* have enough privileges to mess up
> the file system. Power outages may screw up things (happened to me last
> week during a brownout.) Anyway, having this capability should be one of
> the easier things to do, IMHO.
>

The problem there is that in order to this you'd have to have an "educational
distribution". There'd be a lot of work involved in that and it would need
maintaining. I think the way forward there would be to get your linux up and
running and then produce your own recovery disc.

> I guess a main point of all this is that the staff and students shouldn't
> need to know they are running Linux. They should just see a set of
> applications available on the screen and be able to go to it. Personally, I
> am really excited about the way Linux is heading but the average user could
> care less. I understand this and it is up to me to make sure they don't
> need to know anything about it. I have been very successful making our
> systems idiot proof over the years and the ones who want to know more
> simply ask me.
>

Then your experise is will be highly regarded here - especially by me. There is a
Linux for Kids project starting - I'm starting it and developing the system to
become "idiot proof" is one of our goals.

> The first step to educating my users is to make them feel comfortable with
> computers. How do you do this? Make the computers work for the users (not
> visa versa) and help them to get their work done. Once they find that
> computers help them in their day-to-day activities, they nearly always tend
> to ask more questions. Pretty soon you've upped their technical literacy
> quite a bit.
>

Agreed here. This has always been our philosophy when writing commercial software
- and a very successful one.

I think the others here would like to hear what you have to say about usability in
software. I know that people have asked LUIGUI but with not much success. Perhaps
a usability working group? Interested?

> Again, as I mentioned, software development is not my forte. I'm not alone
> in this I'm sure.

Most of the people here aren't programmers so I wouldn't worry about that.

> But I would be willing to test anything that I can
> install with relative ease.

I'll remember this.

I'd be interested to hear what you have to say about intranet usage in schools as
well. My philosophy here is that the web browser is becoming a familiar interface
to users and as such could prove an ideal medium to deliver software and other
resources.


Good look.

Roman.