[Gllug] Schools Software

[Martin N Stevens]

On Sun, Apr 06, 2008 at 09:40:43AM +0100, Chris Bell wrote:
> Hello,
>    I have often been told that schools use computers supplied under long
> term comprehensive and very restrictive commercial contracts, that the
> schools are not alowed to modify the hardware or software themselves, that
> the curriculum requires Microsoft software, etc, etc.
>    How much of this is ignorance, FUD, urban myth?


Being a network manager in a school I can give you some details of what we run.

We run a network of around 500 PC's with around 12 servers.

Most of the workstations are Windows XP with 3 Windows 2003 Servers for auth and storage the servers are supplied by RM
and they have excellent support.

We also run :

Moodle - on Debian
Intranet/Internet - Debian and Drupal
Media Delivery - Debian and Helix
IPCop

We are also running a media suite of 10 PC's with Ubuntu Studio for the media studies class.

Other applications are Nagios, IRM, Unattended, Thunderbird.

For a real overview of how IT is used in education have a look at http://www.edugeek.net

There is a wealth of information and knowledge being shared by IT people in an education environment.

The main issue affecting IT in education is a new government scheme called "Building Schools for the Future"

From 15 years of IT experience I can say the past 5 that I have worked in education has been the most diverse enjoyable and frustrating.

If any one want to see IT in an education enviroment let me know and I should be able to arrange a visit/tour, and if you work in any specialality  industry and would be prepared to talk to students about it that would be good.

Regards

Martin Stevens

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