[aclug-L] Re: I have a dream

["Koji Hayakawa" <sylf@xxxxxxxxx>]

Would you care to discuss why it's not too practical?

I don't know current situation on computer usage at school.  But I see some
of pros and cons on this issue.

Linux is ready to serve the public in certain popular area of computer
related tasks, such as browsing the web and word processing, which may be
used at school.  And if we just look at the licensing cost of Windows and MS
Office or MS Works, sure, it would be really cheap to set up a PC.

What I'm not sure is the use of more specialized software:  certain training
software, or software provided along with textbooks.  Or other specialized
software, such as used in physics or chemistry experiments.  I know that
Mathematica is available in Linux, but I don't know how popular Linux is in
other academic software.

What I see problem (and maybe the biggest draw back) would be getting
sufficient support personnel.  Unfortunate to the society, we have abundance
of (competent and incompetent) Windows based PC technician.  I'm not sure if
we can staff each school systems with enough PC technician who can trouble
shoot in Linux environment.  And if we outsource such support, it may
totally negate the cost reduction seen in software licensing.

I think it would be cool if school systems can adopt open source or
Linux/Unix based environment, but I don't see how it can be done just yet.
More grown-ups need to be educated on Linux, so they can support the little
ones using Linux.

Koji

> -----Original Message-----
> From: discussion-bounce@xxxxxxxxx [mailto:discussion-bounce@xxxxxxxxx]On
> Behalf Of Anne McCadden
> Sent: Sunday, December 01, 2002 8:07 PM
> To: discussion@xxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [aclug-L] Re: I have a dream
>
>
>
> Sorry but that's too practical of an idea and so therefore politians
> won't go for it.  Besides I'm not sure that the general public is ready
> for linux, I think they are ready for a Mac instead of M$.  I have been
> encouraging people to just use passwords and atleast decent passwords.
>  So many talks on safe computing have fallen on deaf ears that I am
> ready to give up.  ~Anne
>
> jeffrey l koehn wrote:
>
> >Someone with Power needs to say this,
> >"One State of the Art Linux Computer equipped
> >with all OS software,
> >Documentation, specs, along with Linux books, etc
> >in every school in the state of Kansas"
> >and then act on it.
> > Wouldn't this be a lot cheaper
> >than taking Microsoft to court
> >and also give kids a chance
> >at creating an open mind?
> >
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