[clug] Linux on new school computers [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

[Roppola, Antti - BRS]

Andrew Janke wrote:

> Aye, most interesting.  Although from speaking to any teacher that I 
> know (including my significant other) I would doubt that merely adding

> computers is going to make for better education.

A lot of the opinion in the letters pages was exactly that. I'd have to
agree that pure technology is seldom a solution for non-technology
problems.

> For now I suspect that XP + FOSS apps would work well.

I agree with that. There should be no impediment to obtaining a
Linux/BSD/Minix distro of some description for students that want to
use/learn, but a pre-install of
OO/Gimp/Inkscape/Scribus/Abiword/Mozilla/Jabber would be a better way to
introduce most people to FOSS.

I suppose keep an eye on the idea and see if they end up implementing
it.

The main issue I can see is negative associations FOSS might pick up
from being associated with what might end up being a fundamentally bad
idea. OTOH, you don't want to let opportunities pass on by just because
there may be some risks.

A.

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