LinuxSA Mailing list archives

  From: Andrew Reid <andrew.reid@plug.cx>
  To  : Stephen Ward <sward@trinity.sa.edu.au>
  Date: 28 Apr 2001 16:06:25 +0930

Re: MS Curriculum at schools and TAFEs ...

On 28 Apr 2001 15:35:20 +0930, Stephen Ward wrote:

> The move to Linux etc. appears to have moved us some steps backwards, despite the
> supposed 'low cost'. We now have to employ full-time network managers, and the
> ability for the teacher to have a key role in running (or intergering with) systems
> becomes increasingly remote. Morover, the network manager may have a very different
> perspective of the network and technical priorities compared to the teacher in the
> classroom. We sometimes seem to be moving into 'computing for computing's sake'
> rather than focussing on the needs of the end-user.

I think that you have to consider your situation. Your organisation has
to employ full-time system administrators because you have an obscene
number of workstations. It's just not possible for a school of Trinity's
size to go without one.

With the SunRay's, Mark's work load will be greatly reduced, when
compared with a standard Windows/i386 Desktop setup. He makes changes in
one place, installs software in one place etc.

The needs of the end-user are still being met in StarOffice, The GIMP,
Netscape and with the addition of Ximian GNOME, you have a very nice
desktop environment for all your users.

If you were to sit down in most class rooms and see what they do, you'll
probably find that it's something along the lines of:

    - Research
    - Comprehension
    - Presenting Results

The Internet, arguably the most comprehensive information store is
available through Netscape. Writing up their results is easily achieved
using StarOffice. It's not that hard.

> Linux is not easy to use. The mnemonic jargon which fills this list is evidence of
> that. OK, so network managers will look after all the background tasks, but, at the
> end of the day, where is the software support? The Gimp, Star Office, Logo (and a
> multitude of banner-choked net sites) may be fine, but DTP, conventional (non-java)
> programming, CD-ROM resources, CAD, and general K-12 curriculum support seem to be
> poorly served.

Linux -is- easy to use. The issues that are discussed here are often
beyond simple useage of Desktop-oriented activities. I hardly consider
NAT and Perl Questions Desktop-oriented.

DTP can be acheived through StarOffice, too. For the needs of a school,
StarOffice caters quite nicely. Ever heard of the 80/20 rule?

I'll concede that the nice 'Kidspix' games that Primary schools like to
have aren't natively available to UNIX, but this was never an attempt at
a hostile takeover.

> Could someone please 'put me right' and point me to some resources. Once the server
> is up, and protected by its firewall, chatting to its clients and showering them
> with easy email and net access, what are students in schools going to be doing
> other than sending each other silly messages and cruising the net?

Word Processing, Presentation Creation, Graphics Manipulation, Net
Access and Email make up the majority of the tasks that students wind up
doing. There's always the odd class that requires a Windows/Mac
application, but as I (and others) have said numerous times, this isn't
about complete and utter replacement of Windows with UNIX.

UNIX has it's place in schools, and I beleive one of them to be on the
Desktop.

   - andrew

-- 
Andrew Reid                   email: andrew.reid@plug.cx
                              www:   http://www.plug.cx
"If ignorance is bliss        phone: +61 401 946 813
 why aren't there more 
 happy people?"


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