Liam Marshall wrote:
I need to be able to continue teaching programming, preferably still Java and a flavour of Visual Basic.
Java won't be a problem. There are some BASIC's in Linux, including StarBasic in the openoffice suite, but would Python, for example, fit the needs of your curriculum? It is easy, pedagogically a lot better than BASIC of any kind and supports GUIs and object orientation. It also supports functional programming.
I need to be able to continue teaching an MSOffice - like application (OpenOffice)
OpenOffice should be fine unless you want to teach VBA or use the regression analysis plugin for Excel. Check with Sun. They now let you install as many copies of StarOffice 7 as you like if you are an educational institution. Sun at least has a brand behind it to convince skepics.
I need to allow for typing practice
Ktouch is basic but fine. -- JDL