Hello, as someone speaking from outside the education sector, may I add some comments.... as you'll note I am a Linux advocate. Simon W.

-----Original Message----- From: SILCOATSIT@aol.com [SMTP:SILCOATSIT@aol.com] Sent: Friday, March 16, 2001 11:42 AM To: alanh@bryngwyn.carmarthen.sch.uk Cc: suse-linux-uk-schools@suse.com Subject: Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Thinking Ahead.... A School Technicians / Networ...

Here at School we run Linux servers with about 85 win 95 clients so in a way we have the best of both worlds To move things along I am about to implement Star Office although the WIndows version to give people the idea that there are alternatives. [Simon Wood] It is good that you are showing that there are alternatives to M$ Office.

Its an uphill struggle with many staff suggesting that the IT department should purchase in a "proper" system from a real educational supplier. Think what sort of ammunition a move to Linux on the desktop or a thin client system would give this lobby. [Simon Wood] There are an increasing number of consultants and suppliers that are seeing the advantage of using Linux (a small one called I B M - ?? or something - springs to mind :-) ).

Perhaps it may be useful to collate a list, so that people wanting to investigate pre-built solutions know, or have options of, where to go.