"The longest journey starts with the smallest step"
You've got to migrate slowly, even if only to new versions of currently used
applications. If you create and implement a full open source, free as in
freedom, solution in a school, it's very unlikely to be used or even kept
because of the learning curve. On the other hand, if you introduce Mozilla
as your standard browser and StarOffice (6) as your standard office suite,
then start using a full Linux/Mozilla/OpenOffice.org solution within the
tech support team, then sooner or later a few teachers will express an
interest in a dual boot solution on their machines. This could well then
lead to the school coming to you and asking for a Linux (probably thin
client) solution after seeing something in the education press.
At this point, you would have to stop, look them in the eye and say:
"No problem, we can do that. You have to understand though that many of the
applications the school currently uses, other than the internet browser and
office suite, will not work under Linux. While I've managed to find a number
of equivalent, free, applications (which the staff and children will have to
learn), there aren't equivalents to everything so you'd have to make do
without those..."
or
"Excellent. We've been waiting for you to say that and have a workable setup
that allows all the currently owned applications to carry on working,
although I'd advise migrating to open source ones as we identify good
solutions. As a matter of interest, there's a group of schools and CLCs
who've been funding the development of free web-based national curriculum
content and applications over in Manchester, which might be a good start."
Pick one.
Now if "over in Manchester" could be replaced with "from all over the UK",
that would be nice. Get out there and persuade the powers that be to join
in, stressing the reality of future reductions in funding, particularly ICT
funding. The words medium and long term, life-time TCO cost reduction, etc.
are very effective in persuading school management, particularly those who
have their eye on the big picture.
Remember the hare and the tortoise...
Cheers
Chris
-----Original Message-----
From: John Ralph
To: Chris Puttick; suse-linux-uk-schools@suse.com
Sent: 9/30/02 7:09 PM
Subject: Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] WINE is all we need...
Hi All,
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Puttick"
Hi
Anyone interested in collaborating on WINE how-tos for UK schools software. It's the only argument left that is stopping Manchester eduation migrating to Linux. It could well involve contributions into the WINE project itself, if there are any interested coders out there...
Cheers
Chris Puttick IT Manager Central Manchester CLC
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As and active advocate of open source software in schools I have to question the reasoning behind the desire to run WINE at all, surely the ideal in an educational environment is to provide usable, cost effective and reliable software on the desktop. WINE allows you to run Windows application under Linux/Unix, so what? You still have to pay for licensing for those applications, it's less reliable that running those applications on their native platform and have you tried to get Micro$oft to support there support their software when running it on another O/S, no I didn't think so :-) Surely we should be putting our combined efforts into finding/supporting/developing applications which are good solid open source replacements for Microsoft Office et al. I agree with you that we should be assisting the developers and providing central support for open source products, but lets ensure that we choose the correct people to support. -- John Ralph ICT Support Manager Rhodesway School and Rhodesway CLC Supporting Open Source in Schools -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: suse-linux-uk-schools-unsubscribe@suse.com For additional commands, e-mail: suse-linux-uk-schools-help@suse.com