[seul-edu] UK Schools Linux and Re:[Kde-edu]

[prytherch@talk21.com]

> #include <my_own_opinions_disclaimer.h>

Likewise

>There are two replies I'd like to make to your email.  One is as a
>subscriber to debian-jr and the other is as a programmer.
>
>-- Debian Jr --
>
>I would _REALLY_ like to see an open-source computer environment that is
>good for children to use.  There is a large demand here from schools to
>have a cheaper, easier to maintain, better setup for kids from 5-17.
>Quite a task!  Then there are all the parents who would like the computer
>to be useful for their children.
>
>The easiest way of achieving this _now_ is to find a set of programs that
>provide such an environment, tie them together nicely and encourage people
>to fill in the gaps.

This is very similar to the aims/methods of the project that I am involved in for UK schools. I feel that almost everything is there, just waiting to be tied together.
If anyone is involved in ICT in the UK, I've just set up a mailing list on our LUG's server to discuss getting Linux onto the desktop in (UK) schools, following up an item on the need for discussion of this on the SuSE UK mailing list.

Please e-mail me off-list if you'd like to be added (our server doesn't support majordomo requests - so I need to add subscribers manually).

> I'm sure we'll end up having to plug a few gaps
>ourselves but I think we've already got a large enough task and don't need
>to add a fully fledged metalib compatibility layer.



>I guess the point I'm making is that I'm trying to meet a need I see, not
>to enter an argument about the relative merits of kde/gnome.  I would
>certainly be happier if kde applications looked better in a gnome
>environment and the other way around, but I'll stick to being happy that
>people are writing the applications under any environment at the moment.

From a schools (and home) point of view: Many 486's will run blackbox (or even wmaker) if X is necessary, but will *never* see either KDE or Gnome.
I hope that they both continue to take steps for each others apps to work in the other environment. For education however, the other wm's must not be forgotten.

>
>-- Programming perspective
[ deletia ]
>I also don't want to see either kde or gnome win the desktop war, I think
>competition is good for both of them.  Because of this belief I think we
>need a good long term strategy for keeping gnome and kde users happy and I
>think coupling provides it.
>
hear hear

>I think we should use the best applications no matter which libraries
>they're linked against and hope that at some time in the future they'll
>all look a little more consistent.  Consistency is important but it is
>hard to achieve at the packaging end and it isn't so important we should
>reject all gnome/kde/wmaker/whatever applications.

Absolutely. In education one should be teaching understanding of computers and their use anyway, not "this is the only interface that you will ever see - just learn to point-and-click here."

- Richard Smedley




it's not a .sig, just the last line of the message.

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