Re: Linux for Learning

[Doug Loss <dloss@csrlink.net>]

Roger Dingledine wrote:
> 
> This gives me an idea -- why don't we set up a table, with proprietary
> software that schools typically use on one side, and free alternatives
> (the more the merrier, plus pages describing how to configure them well)
> on the other side.

> We're not going to be able to make this list without the help of the people
> who are actually *in* the schools using the software, so they can list
> real programs that we should list alternatives for.
> 
> We should actually get some resources out there and useful to schools,
> else we're just going to stay a discussion list.
> 
Roger's exactly right on this.  This is a great idea and I'd like to ask
_all_ educators on this mailing list to write up lists of the software
their schools are using.  Please list the name of the software, the
publisher, its general type (word processor, drill-and-practice
arithmetic, etc.), the environment it's used in (MacOS, Windows),
whether it's installed locally (on every machine) or run from the
network, and what its grade-level applicability is.  If there are lesson
plans specifically designed with a particular program in mind please
note that.  I hope that compiling such lists won't be too much of an
inconvenience; the lists will certainly give us a much better idea of
what to concentrate on.

Rather than mail the lists directly to seul-edu, please mail them
directly to me at dloss@csrlink.net and I'll compile them into a
comprehensive list which shows all the applications used and the
frequency with which each is used.  Please put "Academic software list"
on the subject line so I can sort them out of my mail stream easily. 
I'll wait a few weeks and then publish a compilation of the lists to the
mailing list.

Once we have that compilation, we should identify equivalent or better
OSS programs for each entry where possible.  If no such program exists,
we have identified an area ripe for software development.  Once we have
our "academic software alternatives list" we can begin to make more
forceful cases for deploying OSS operating systems and software in our
schools.

-- 
Doug Loss                 A life spent making mistakes is not only
Data Network Coordinator  more honorable, but more useful than a
Bloomsburg University     life spent doing nothing.
dloss@bloomu.edu                G. B. Shaw