--- ian
Well this is where we differ then. I have only one approach and that (as people on this list no doubt are becoming aware) often gets me into trouble. I'd defend myself in saying that my offences are not deliberate. I do try to show I appreciate people despite differences.
Don't we all? E-mail is just about the best medium for misunderstandings, polarising debates and generally getting things out of proportion :-) I constantly have to tell some of our support people to talk to people on the phone, because E-mail is not always the best way of communicating.
You're telling me. I have had enough scrapes on this list over the years to know *that* :)
All comments made by Ian or any other which may sound judgemental or "harsh" in this list are perfectly acceptable. I wish there were more people like Ian or Mark here.
You can remove your head from out of......
Well of course you do. We all want people around us that agree with us and that speak up for a cuase we believe in. They both don't just talk the talk they walk the walk. But I still maintain that a block to open source in schools is the perception many people in schools have of the people pushing it.
I too appreciate Ian's work and value his opinions. I have learned loads fom him and was very close to going with his company when I was at Romsey School. (IIRC).
However, I know of one scghool where Ian has not come across well because he seemed too evangelistic. A price he has to pay perhaps.
Please -- why do you come here "preaching" to us. We all do our jobs (well, OK, so I am still at Uni) to the best of our abilities and with our own unique flair.
Its a price anyone marketing anything has to pay. Some kids are turned off by evangelical teachers, but I think many more respond better to a teacher who is passionate about what they teach.
Evangelists can often lead to arrogance.
In conclusion (I don't intend to continue on this anymore, I am bothering too many people and obviously don't have the correct approach)
I think you are putting up some useful devils advocate. Its far too easy to just become a mutual admiration society. Two sides are needed to have a debate and it takes bottle to take the minority view - everyone on this list should understand that :-) Hopefully we can be passionate without falling out.
While I am all for the tremendous effort that a lot of you put towards Linux and the education, I think that we have detracted from what the purpose of this list is for. It is not a political-debate list. It is about SuSE Linux.
I don't agree with the negative view many people on this list have of LEAs and teachers in school. I believe the majority do a good job in very difficult circumstances.
So do I, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement and in the context of FLOSS in education some feathers are going to get ruffled. Its the nature of change. Read some Michael Fullan on educational change in general. It helps put the change in technology into some sort of wider perspective.
We're all entitled to our own opinions... -- Thomas Adam ===== "The Linux Weekend Mechanic" -- http://linuxgazette.net "TAG Editor" -- http://linuxgazette.net ________________________________________________________________________ Download Yahoo! Messenger now for a chance to win Live At Knebworth DVDs http://www.yahoo.co.uk/robbiewilliams