Linux news on the BBC
 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3436289.stm

a pro linux news story

"Some internet cafes in Brazil rely on Linux" (that was children using linux)

Well to be honest I think they should use linux in schools (secondary). In britain they mostly use RM computers (http://www.rm.com) which is simply windows but with alot of restrictions, most pupils won't even know what linux is. Maybe installing linux in schools isn't a bad idea, but I can't see it ever happening.

IT in schools
I hope it's patchy (implying there are some schools that excel with IT)
my son's school uses Windows, they got stung for the network setup, they got stung for the workstations
they don't teach any kind of programming or networking
they use Word and Powerpoint to "design" advert campaigns for imaginary products and are told this is using IT/Design & Technology (he is 18 months away from initial school leaving age)
when he asked if there was any Linux around he was told, 1 machine and no one but the sys admin can touch it

there does seem to be a deliberate dumbing down of all subjects in the UK, (not just at school level either)
it's a shame
i don't know what these children will do for jobs when they leave school

IT in schools teach you stuff that WON'T help you when looking for a job, I had to teach myself :S

Edit:Thats a disgrace :(

--Mahony

Well of course the school didn't teach him anything worth knowing! What do you take it for, real life experience? Note: I'm implying that school is horrible and bad and should be replaced with real life. Flame away.

Please doi not encourage flames, we like to keep this site flame free.

Also moving this topic to General where its more suitable, as I can already tell the discussion is slipping into another topic of general discussion, not really Linux technical and or a question.

Regards.

im lucky at my high school we had a really talented head of computing department, good computers and a few computing subjects for those of us who knew what career path was ahead. although we didnt have linux.

a good idea that occurs to me is that schools could have a few linux computers on the network. one downfall is microsoft might not give discounts on the software on the other computers if the school is seen to endorse the unholy open source blasphemy. i really wouldnt put it past them.

have fun.
Ben.

Well school is alot like real life, you get to learn, you have work to do, you socialise ect. And if it wasn't for our school systems most of us wouldn't be posting on this very forum.

--Mahony

On one of my teaching placement whilst I was training I helped out with the Y11 classes. The head of IT was happy for me to show the Y11 kids what Linux is, what is looks like, explain a little about it and... shock horror... even let them install it on a test machine! Their course (I think it was a GCSE course that used to be a GNVQ) had them installing various components on a machine and installing basic apps like an OS and Office Productivity Suites. He said that he was interested in Linux but hadn't had the time to research it - so I told him that I'd used it for a few years and I would be happy to help. I doubt very much if this has continued in any way, and I reckon this years Y11s are installing W95 on their test machines again. Hey ho.