Re: Commercial and Free software

[Michael Williams <michael@haywood.k12.nc.us>]

When our district started integrating computer technology in the schools
(1990) we primarily used IBM computers and software. IBM had some very good
applications aimed directly at the k12 market, primarily the k-5 grade levels
(ages 5 to 11). You can get an idea of their current offerings and prices at
www.solutions.ibm.com/k12/welcome.html. We still use their ICLAS (IBM
Classroom Administration System) system in most of our schools. Although we
haven't purchased any of their products in almost 4 years we still rely on
them for the elementary schools. These programs ran on 286/386sx computers
with MCGA graphics. Simple, focused apps like Bouncy Bee Learns Letters, Math
Concepts, Reading for Information, Touch Typing for Beginners, Children's
Writing and Publishing Center and many more. These are the applications that I
need to replace. Naturally I (the students would enjoy it too)would like to
have jazzier interfaces/graphics as long as the fundamentals are still
taught/re enforced.

I'm in much better shape at the middle school and high school levels because I
could possibly use current apps such as StarOffice and other software that I
find out about in places such as this forum. But this raises another hurdle,
state mandates. 8th grade students must pass a written test and performance
test based on Microsoft Works in order to graduate. If they fail this test
they are still promoted to the 9th grade (high school) were remediation takes
place but they *must* pass this test in order to receive a H.S. diploma. The
tests are generated at the state level and are delivered in MS Works format on
the day of the test.

Now that said... I'm not an educator, I am a network/computer support person,
one of 2 in our district. We advise, steer and present our ideas/goals to the
staff and administrators of our system, the ultimate decision lies with them.

Earlier I stated that 'free' software got linux in our system as an NOS and
that it would take 'free' software to get it to the desktop. I use 'free'
because as far as staff and administrators are concerned it didn't cost them
any money. They don't know how many months it took to get linux up and running
(nights and weekends), how I spent two hundred dollars on books to figure out
how to get it working and how much ink and paper I used printing out all those
HOWTO's. All out of my pocket. Don't get me wrong, I loved every minute of it!
Much better than reloading win95! So 'free' is a relative term.

Yes, technically linux is ready for the back room, but the installation
process has *got* to get better. If I want a dedicated caching server what
packages do I install? If I want to upgrade that application (squid?) what
packages/libraries do I need installed to compile the source. These are the
questions that keep me up nights. Not specifically this one but similar. The
learning curve is vertical.

I have learned much in just the few days I have been on this forum and I am
sure to learn much more. This is the first time I have become involved in such
a thing.

Michael

malonowa wrote:

> It seems that a question I posed on the thread regarding the Linux Weekly
> news interview has turned into a rather lively debate.
>
> Whilst I think this debate is a good thing and this question may well crop
> up in the interview I wouldn't want it to be the focus of the article. So
> could we all move this debate onto this new thread.
>
> Roman.