On Fri, 16 Mar 2001 sparkz@breathemail.net wrote:
With regards to the discussion about putting Linux on the clients and using the free Linux software out there. My main problem Ive found is both the students and staff all want to take their work home and do it, then either email it or bring it in to finish off in break times. As all these people have had to buy systems with Microsoft products on them the question of compatability come into question. How can they do there work at home using the Microsoft products ie Office, Publisher, Works (yuk), then bring in and finish at school on a LInux system?
StarOffice will import and export MS Office files. You can also give StarOffice to students and staff to use at home.
Also the kids today already know how to use all the Microsoft stuff, It would be harder to teach them on a Linux system and they would struggle and possibly get confused using two totally different systems. Also as most workplaces have all Microsoft based systems when looking for Jobs they nearly always ask if you can use Word or Excel, if the kids had been taught on Linux machines they would have no chance in the real world when being forced to use a microsft based machine.
As someone else has already mentioned, this is the "education vs. training" debate. As a school, most people would expect you to be in the business of providing education.
This is why i chose an NT system as thats what out there normally. I would love to put Linux on all the computers but until most businesses do I can't see that happening.
I still find this philosophy puzzling. Given that schools ICT involves providing systems for people who, in the main, are several years away from full-time employment, why do some schools feel it necessary to restrict themselves to the systems in use by businesses today? Michael Brown Fen Systems Ltd.