On Fri, Jul 04, 2003 at 12:41:34AM +0100, David Bowles wrote:
However what's going to make the biggest difference to Open Source use in education is the availability of high quality closely integrated open-source systems software, applications and courseware that's simple to install, configure and maintain. Possibly the three biggest
Note that this does not mean "installation, configuation and maintainance should be performed by end users". A great deal of Micrsoft based stuff is very difficult to install, configure and maintain. Quite a bit of the time because of design assumptions which expect everything to be done by the end user. Which a) dosn't work well in a networked environment. b) you explicitally don't want children fiddeling with such things in the first place.
potential niches are these;
1. Samba / Linux based servers initially used as standby devices or to increase network reliability and availability of school networks -- a big issue in many schools where downtimes of up to a whole month are not uncommon! Once ICT staff see and understand the benefits of Open Source based server solutions they may be more inclined to abandon Microsoft based solutions.
2. Many schools have got lots of slow old hardware kicking around. Furthermore, many schools can easily acquire lots more low- or no- cost hardware thrown out by upgrading commercial organisations. So there is a niche for 'thin client' Linux / Open Source server and client systems software and applications.
3. Maybe the biggest niche is for Open Source office applications and courseware that students can run on their home PCs. Many home PCs also don't have a full office suite installed on them, so there is a need for an 'Open Office' based students distribution that might / might not also include Linux. Furthermore a considerable proportion of students still don't have access to a home PC -- or only severely restricted access. Maybe when schools upgrade they can could supply their PCless students with a Linux / Open Office based PC.
Overall, the biggest problem I see for Open Source in schools is the initial 'getting the foot in the door'. What the Open Source movement
The sumbling block here isn't web browsing, email or office type software. It's more specialist software which is part of some "national initutive", e.g. DATA.
really needs is some 'must have killer application' that starts teachers and school ICT staff on their journey up the Open Source learning curve.
-- Mark Evans St. Peter's CofE High School Phone: +44 1392 204764 X109 Fax: +44 1392 204763