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Dell; PROMOTE Linux and OSS in Education

670 points posted to Advertising and Marketing, Education, Linux by phubert 09/24/07

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Learning Linux and _using_ OSS in education at all levels (primary, middle school, secondary, college and university, trades) will provide BETTER, FOUNDATIONAL education than the proprietary alternatives (Windows and Apple OS).
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In addition this will result in significant cost savings for schools.
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My original idea was _merged_ with one that did _not_ address these points!

phubert
09/24/07
Linux Education in America: Inspiration from Russia?

Why Does Linux Make Sense for Educators?
Linux represents more than digital freedom -- the typical Linux distribution has several things going for it from the creative side of the equation.

http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/93171/index.html
phubert
09/24/07
We should never refuse to learn from others. And should never let our _perception_ of someone else cause a permanent barrier. We need to learn THROUGH our perceptions to reality.
jdelidc
09/24/07
you don't need the command line for everything. and when you do need it, it's not to hard to find the command. just type "apropos ___" and it basically looks for a command that might fit that
jdelidc
09/24/07
chris: if you ain't used linux, you have no room to complain. i complain about vista but i used it for 4 months
mkmaster78
09/24/07
I use Linux on a very consistent basis, in fact all of my machines are dual boot Windows/Linux systems. Simply put, Linux is not ready to be a mainstream desktop OS, it has its uses, and has made great strides over the years, but as a basic desktop OS Windows hands down beats both Linux and Mac. Linux is great for development and security, Mac OS X for media, and Windows as a general mainstream desktop OS. (Vista is rather slick, by the way, if you give it a proper chance. I used it all the way from Beta 2 to Release version, it just takes a little adjustment to how you do things, not a big deal really)
jdelidc
09/24/07
i'm not saying one is better than the other (at least right now i'm not). i duel boot also (xp/fedora) and the os i use depends on what mood i'm in or what i want to do. but comments that aren't true like "why take half the class peroid just looking for a simple comand hidding under bunch of trash" ain't true and he don't know that because they don't teach that in school. which is what this idea basically is for in the first place
jdelidc
09/24/07
that explains a lot. knoppix sucks (sorry if anyone else likes it) so if that's the only distro you've tried, i can see why you hate linux. ubuntu and fedora live are both much better. try one of them. my networking teacher gave me knoppix, it ended up being a frisbe
pentox
09/28/07
Looking at this one, I would agree with this if Linux was at a point where as a desktop system it could seamlessly integrate with existing systems out of the box. The last time I gave any Linux distro a serious look it was far from this point. Regardless of your opinion of Linux vs. Windows if you teach someone on Linux and then they get a job at a company which uses Windows, if they can't easily connect to their Exchange server and work with their other windows based products, then it's almost as if you didn't teach them at all. But most of the world is using windows, I have yet in my professional experience run across a company which was using Linux solely as their operating platform. When that day comes, when jobs require familiarity with linux and don't run windows at all, and these jobs are more common than windows, then yes promote this form of education. I don't see this changing anytime soon as Microsoft keeps companies happy and in their court. If you don't teach your children windows, children in another country will be taught windows, and then they'll get the jobs and you'll be left unemployed.
jdelidc
09/28/07
i disagree. i learned more about windows by using linux than i did using windows
phubert
10/01/07
The analogy is "Give a man a fish, and you will allay his hunger for a day" "TEACH him to fish and he will not go hungry again"

Learning Linux is like learning to fish, while learning Windows is much closer to being GIVEN a fish... you rely upon the giver (Microsoft) when you COULD have become self-reliant!
phubert
10/22/07
Stallman: Students Should Be Taught to Share With The Class

In Stallman's view, the mission of any educational institution is to teach students to be strong and independent, rather than dependent. Thus, schools should make it an objective to reject the "shiny new chains" of Windows Vista, and other non-Free software, and migrate to Free Software, as part of their overall mission. "Other Universities are doing this or have done it: you can do it too. You only have to reject social inertia as a valid reason for going deeper and deeper into the pit.", he said.

http://blue-gnu.biz/content/stallman_students_should_be_taught_share_class
phubert
10/29/07
Schools warned off Microsoft deal

The UK computer agency Becta is advising schools not to sign licensing agreements with Microsoft because of alleged anti-competitive practices.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/7063716.stm
phubert
Feb 27
How Linux Passion Sometimes Beats Windows Preloads

The InstallFest effort will promote open source, bridge the digital divide and keep toxic computer equipment out of landfills, notes Andrew Fife, a product manager at Untangle. Or, as Fife simply states it in his own blog:

InstallFest marries unwanted hardware with community activists to empower our kids in schools.

http://www.thevarguy.com/2008/02/26/how-linux-passion-sometimes-beats-windows...
phubert
Feb 29
Open source software and recycled gear equals PCs for needy schools

Installfest for Schools in California's Bay Area couples recycled desktops with Linux community volunteers to donate PCs to schools

http://www.linuxworld.com/news/2008/022808-recycling-open-source-software.html
phubert
Mar 5
Open source in schools could save the taxpayer billions

And THIS is JUST in UK SCHOOLS!!!

http://www.computerworlduk.com/community/blogs/index.cfm?entryid=560&blogid=17<Open source in schools could save the taxpayer billions

And THIS is JUST in UK SCHOOLS!!!

http://www.computerworlduk.com/community/blogs/index.cfm?entryid=560&blogid=17
phubert
Mar 5
Athens schools promote 'open source' computing

Athens Area Schools is spreading its wisdom on the use of open source computer technology to educators around the state.

http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080305/NEWS01...
phubert
Mar 7
Kerala shuts windows, schools to use only Linux

A few weeks ago, the Government formally ordered that only free Linux-based software should be used for IT education in high schools, using new the Linux text books developed by State Council for Educational Research and Training and the Free Software Foundation of India.

http://www.indianexpress.com/story/280323.html
phubert
Mar 26
Humanitarian projects and open source: Working together to revitalize computer sciences

Ralph Morelli, professor of computer science at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., has a double motive in spearheading the Humanitarian FOSS Project (HFOSS). The project's mission of providing free software development to help solve real-world social issues is a noble reason to rally the participation of college students who will spend their summers learning how to be part of the open source development community. But this NSF-funded project also hopes to show that humanitarian software development projects are a great way to revitalize undergraduate computing education.

http://www.linux.com/feature/129882
phubert
Mar 27
Open-Source Classroom Management With iTALC On Ubuntu 7.10

This document describes how to set up iTALC on Ubuntu 7.10. iTALC is an open-source classroom management solution that lets you view and control other computers in your network. It lets you remote-control other computers, show the teacher's screen on all students' computers, lock workstations, send text-messages to students, power on/off and reboot remote computers, etc.

http://www.howtoforge.com/italc-open-source-classroom-management-ubuntu7.10
phubert
Apr 2
School districts serve up lessons in Linux

School districts in the US and Canada find Linux and open source offers better support, cheaper setup costs, and improved educational value

http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;821318543
phubert
Apr 7
9000 PCs in Swiss schools going Linux only

9000 computers in Swiss schools have been dual-booting Windows and and Ubuntu for some time now in anticipation of guidelines from the Switzerland’s Department of Public Instruction, whose motto is “Long Live Free Software.” The Tribune de Geneve featured a story on Friday about the elimination of dual boot capabilities in all of these machines and a migration exclusively to Linux ****

http://education.zdnet.com/?p=1615
phubert
Apr 8
Ubuntu breathes new life into school's abandoned hardware

Repurposed PCs use Kubuntu to run school's Web based student library system ****

http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;609377314;pp;1
phubert
Apr 25
What Edubuntu can teach your kids

Many features, Learning disguised as fun, Teacher tools .... check it out! ****

http://www.linux.com/feature/132704
phubert
Jun 2
Sharjah school dumps high-cost software for open-source applications

Nash: "We felt that it was unfair to subject parents to having to buy Office 2007 for example: that’s roughly $400." ****

http://www.itp.net/news/520872-sharjah-school-dumps-high-cost-software-for-op...
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