On Wednesday 19 September 2001 10:13, you wrote:
This is really a plea for information/experiences that schools have had with implementing Linux as an operating system - do schools use it solely as a server, or as workstations with server (thin-client)?
At the moment we are in the former camp but in the exploratory stages of migrating to the latter. Currently I have one machine acting as a caching proxy server running Squid [see www.squid-cache.org]. This, alone, has returned all the investment of time I have put into climbing the linux learning curve by transforming the web from a joke to a useful teaching resource.
What setup do schools have, and what software did they opt for?
We have an RM Connect network which involves a not always stable mix of W98 and NT4. Vast amounts of software, educational and otherwise, simply cannot be installed or run properly on our very mainstream, orthodox, industry standard and every other FUD catchphrase setup.
What is the range of software available for Linux for primary children (I've looked at Fensystems.co.uk and at the moment am a bit disappointed) - will it meet the curriculum requirements for KS1 and KS2?
The vast majority of our IT teaching uses MS Word, Publisher, Excel, Powerpoint, IE5, Paint, etc. There are good (and rapidly developing) open source equivalents for linux. Many of the best educational apps that you would miss in a move from W98 were actually ported over from Acorn / Risc-os and it is doubtful if they would ever be ported yet again. There are a number of good windows-on-Linux solutions: Wine, VMWare, Win4Lin, etc.
Is it easier to run a Linux server with Windows workstations?
Nothing to do with computers and networks is ever easy; there are always learning curves which I generally enjoy climbing - unless, of course, I'm stuck in the proprietary, closed source paradigm of the learning curve to nowhere.
I apologise for the general questions, but we are in the early stages and trying to weigh up all options and are trying to gather information from schools who have gone down this road before us. Any info is gratefully received.
Thanks for any replies.
Adam Cripps