From: paul
Cheers, Adrian. If you're going to the seminar, I'll look forward to discussing "tactics" with you - I think there's a lot an older and wiser Tux can teach this downy fledgling.
You smoothie! Less of the old! Aren't penguins mainly grey... err white? Like you, I have only been playing (at home, much to my sons annoyance, as he is my Guinea pig!) for the same time as you. Why, because I don't have the time here at work. Despite what I have said, I am all in favour of LINUX in schools, and sure, with time and effort (= cost!) it can be done. We are a private, fee paying school and so tend to attract a (hopefully) more informed parent who wants to know what they are getting for their money, they like to tell us what we should be using because of their (limited) experience. Odd schools running with the banner, each doing his/her own thing does not give confidence in the age of globalisum. What is needed is a system (as mentioned before) (like) the RM system (but one that works and does what it say's on the tin!), I would suggest a consortium made up of this group rather than (say) RM (despite my withering views of "software for teachers by teachers" - e.g. sims et al) SuSE does appear to be the best flavour that I have seen, and so may be a good starting point. We should not be trying to find a set-up that works or even the de facto set-up, we should be defining it. Maybe look at three or four types of software as a group, WP/SS/drawing/e-Mail etc. Pick the bones and go back to the writer of the best and tell/ask them how we want it improved for our use within the school environment, maybe incorporating the best bits of the rest. There is nothing worse than having to use three apps. when one ought to do the job. I don't know what happens in state schools, how budgets are controlled with regard to suppliers, i.e. the role of the LEA. for instance do PE departments have to purchase trampolines form specific outlets? Is I.T. a special case, other than being new and so able to be controlled? Is it that difficult to break away? Do we actually need BECTA? Sounds like another quango to me! We at the sharp end should be dictating requirements and policy. Kind Regards Adrian Wells _______________________________________ Systems Manager Sidcot School Oakridge Lane, Winscombe, Somerset BS25 1PD. Please reply to adrian.wells@sidcot.org.uk admin@sidcot.org.uk for general enquiries