-----Original Message----- From: Mark Evans [mailto:mpe@st-peters-high.devon.sch.uk] Sent: 11 July 2001 14:36 To: Coulton,G Cc: 'Simon Wood'; Schools List Subject: Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] software in schools/piracy
Hi Simon,
I think something came across my desk in relation to Linux a while back. The reason we didn't respond is because :-
a) Trying to manage the network growing as quick as most High Schools netwrks is very time consuming (to give you an idea I have 123 computers to set up using some form of OS, a language lab with 32 machines, interactive whiteboards and another computer room all before September). To change or look at something as (I hesitate to use this word) radical as Linux is a big step and eXTREMELY time consuming, where as I'm sure you'll agree - adding an NT Box as a BDC to the network is extremely simple :)
Since when is a BDC a workstation?
From the information I seem to remember receiving this is what
I'm talking about workstations! I'm talking about adding a Linux Server as opposed to an NT / W2K / XP Server they were seemingly talking about.
It's workstations which take up most of the time with Windows. Compounded by Windows being an operating system which expects to be end user administered, hence makes it easy for the person using the machine to mess with all sorts of things.
That's the reason for profiles and policies surely?
Let alone that being able to install an application only once for the whole network is unimaginable with an entirely Windows system.
How much time do you think you would have to spend converting to XP?
At the moment. None! W2K looks like you have to buy W2K CALs, so I'm presuming you have to buy the same for XP. As someone who has already spent a fair amount of money on NT CALs I'm not prepared to spend even more on something which we don't need in school at this present time. I can only talk from my schools perspective which to be honest has been playing catchup on IT. All the money we spend needs to be on new stuff - not upgrading year old stuff just because MS thinks they might like to release ANOTHER all singing and dancing OS