I did not complain that we were given 12 Free laptops. I don't care what they come like as they don't stay like it for more than 5 seconds after the come out of the box. They are not going to be able to cost effectively supply pre configured laptops that have the software mix that each school requires. Hence providing a basic off the shelf system. I consider this to be the most sensible idea. That way they can spend more money on providing decent hardware rather than software that a lot of people don;t want. Robin At 13:11 15/08/02 +0100, you wrote:
Laptops for Teachers (see http://lft.ngfl.gov.uk/ ) does have as a minimum specification an office suite and a configured dial-up ISP. The more sensible of the LEAs/suppliers did specify OpenOffice or StarOffice as the suite, if only because schools can purchase MS cheaper than the OEM supplied price. None that I am aware of were sensible enough to buy them with no operating system or DRDOS or (god forbid...) Linux, even though the same situation would exist with the school purchasing of MS operating systems too.
The problem in the end is that most or all purchases of these laptops (both under LfT and previous schemes) were done without the guidance of someone operating at the sharp end of school ICT, along with the lack of proper, skilled, education focused, IT support in primaries and indeed many secondaries.
But hey, what would I know? I'm only a skilled and experienced IT professional who's been specialising in the education sector for nearly 3 long and painful years... :-}
Cheers
Chris
-----Original Message----- From: Tim Pizey To: suse-linux-uk-schools@suse.com Sent: 8/15/02 1:14 PM Subject: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Appalled at primary teacher's gift
Hi,
A friend of mine has just recieved a HP laptop from Estelle.
It is completely unconfigured, with a standard windows XP install.
No teacher specific applications. No education specific ISP setup. No nothing.
Surely we could do better in an afternoon.
The machine was from Oxford LEA under a programme called 'Laptops for Schools'.
I think something should be done. Any ideas?
Apparently over 60 percent of teachers at the school have a laptop delivered at different times, but with no customisation at all, so they don't get used.
I think this is awful.
cheers tim pizey
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