I really didn't see any mention (in any of the forum subject titles) of using/promoting/sneaking Linux in a back door to replace proprietary (read M$) operating systems and application software. Linux is more than capable of supporting all the needs of a K-16 environment, often surpassing offerings available with Microsoft options.

I especially see Linux and the K12-LTSP/thin-client technology as a great way to bring Linux and open-source software into an education environment instead of high-cost competing products from VMWare, Citrix/Xen, and Microsoft. Combine Linux-based thin-client with older hardware ready to be dispositioned (sent out to auction) and you have a really powerful combination that saves tax payers millions of dollars.

My $.02 worth and hopefully a sufficient posting to be included in the free Linux Pro magazine subscription!

-*-Bill

I am in the process of converting my business to using F/OSS whenever possible. Between the RAID file server and my three computers, I have saved a few thousand $ !! And now with how easy Ubuntu installs, there's really no excuse for anyone not to use linux.

:-)

I wish there was a recipe professionals like me could use on schools to spend some time with them and help preach FOSS.

Thanks,
Chris

While I would love for schools to start using FOSS, it runs into two major obstacles that I've seen. First is just plain ignorance, on all sorts of levels. You have people who think "you get what you pay for" and therefore all FOSS is junk. Even if that wasn't a problem, a lot of admins are pretty ignorant about Linux and might not be able to administer a Linux based network. Toss a few MS fanbois in and you aren't going anywhere.

Then there is the problem of MS itself. Their sales force tends to have a thermonuclear conniption whenever a school system tries to get out of their claws. They throw money around until the school system comes to the "right" conclusion and buys MS. I'm sure they make up the cost of bribes in the licensing fees.

@cacycleworks - Congrats on the move. I've been running my business on Linux for a few years now and have never regretted it. And the money saved is definitely real!

You do not want to go into schools and preach Open Source, try to convert to Linux, etc. What is needed is to teach kids about computers.

Knowing what I know now, if I had kids in school and the "computer class" was nothing but training in how to run MSOffice, I would be tearing the place apart. But, now I'm old and tired and I just pontificate in fora......

Sadly, I think that's what the majority of beginner's "computer classes" are. In my first "computer class" (I'm guessing it was sometime in the late '90s or maybe '00 or '01, it was a while ago, probably just barely in my double-digits ), we were doing pretty much just that: learning how to use common programs like MS Word (might have actually been Works at the time), IE, the overall GUI/desktop, etc. Pretty much everything else I know about computers (my real computer knowledge; i.e. hardware, programming, etc.) is self-taught

I have a 5 year old in kindergarte this year. When we went for the open house I was a little dismayed to see macs in his classroom. I mean on the one hand it was good that there was a computer in the class, but the money involved in purchasing macs is worse than m$ even. Their blogs are run from an osX server. I haven't done my homework, but from what I can tell it's end to end mac. That CAN'T be cheap to do. Of course I wouldn't want to be the guy cleaning the viruses off of an elementary school's m$ machines either.

I guess I was one of the lucky ones then. My junior high had two computer courses, one of which introduced programming (visual basic mind you), html, and the basics of what a computer was, and one of which was essentially a typing and m$ training course. The former course was taught by our tech administrator (responsible for the school webpage, class/grade database, etc...) and the latter was taught by one of the teachers who had been a secretary. Just letting you know it's not all doom and gloom in the world of public education (though that was quite a number of years ago).

I know when people donate large sums of money to a college they can often stipulate what it is to be used for (buildings, fountains, abstract art, etc...). Perhaps something similar could be done with stipulating Linux must be used if people donated enough old computers (I know I've at least 5 or 6 computers lying around with 2 GHz pentium 4s in them from yesteryear) to an elementary/middle/high school.

Great idea!

Open source software would be a great way to reduce costs to schools, at a time when this is much needed, as well as improve on the quality of computer education.

It unfortunately would require a different caliber of computer teachers, as well as IT support staff, but the schools wouldn't have to turn over their hardware as often, and everything else would be free. It's virtually impossible to really learn how Linux works without first understanding some basics about computer architecture and operating systems. Linux brings the actual operation of the computer closer to the user. Even if the students don't stick with Linux, they'll have a better understanding of computers nonetheless. After they've had a taste of the cost, customizability, and community support of open source software and Linux, I'm sure many of them will become hooked.

And then that benefits the community, involving just a single digit percent of school children in open source software would do wonders for us.

Anyway, I'm not sure how LQ can help with this, but if someone can come up with a way, it's a great idea!

-Jimmy

A couple of years ago, my son became the star pupil in his Computer I class in high school when he corrected the teacher on what the term HTML stood for. The teacher was telling them the wrong thing! He did have the guts to look it up and come back the next day and admit to the class that he was wrong and my son was right. This is extremely basic and easy to find information, but the teacher didn't even know it. That class was a joke. It would be great to have "real" computer classes in school. Everyone I know who knows anything at all about computers learned it on his own.

I'm currently going to college for Computer Engineering, and in my third year of class I still haven't learned as much as i know about the inner workings of a computer as I have learned from using Linux. It makes me sad that none of my classes have anything to do with it, I wish Linux was taught at our school so we can stop wasting our time/money with Microsoft.

All Microsoft wants is money, and they get plenty of it. This teaches kids not to learn for themselves, but to just buy what every other clueless person is buying. Open source is free, and just takes a little bit of understanding.

When I have kids I am exposing them to Linux before they get to Windows. If everyone could accept open source software, it will bring us one step closer to a society based on helping each other out, instead of one based on greed and selfishness.