[Preston] A LUG needs a purpose

[B McLellan]

Its a while since I've had any involvement with the education sector but if
you are looking to get involved with schools I suspect coding would be the
way to go. The old IT curriculum was basically an MS Office course which
added to the MS lock in. I believe there are now some programming elements
with python one of the preferred languages. Old school IT teachers with
little programming experience would probably welcome assistance and a few
Raspberry Pi/Micro bits would be the only hardware required.
Just my 2p

;)
On 12 Jul 2016 10:37 a.m., "Ken Walker via Preston" <
preston at mailman.lug.org.uk> wrote:

> Hi Mark.
>
> I was wondering whether this group was still alive as it has appeared to
> be gone and forgotten. I was a member of the Lancaster lug but that seems
> to have gone quiet now. My plan there was to start a project but no idea on
> what to do. This would have given people don't practical skills  in
> learning how to code or for some of us reminding us how to to code. Any
> purpose is good though so I'm up for anything like you're suggesting.
>
> If you get something arranged I'll try and make it.
> On 11 Jul 2016 21:10, "Mark Walton via Preston" <
> preston at mailman.lug.org.uk> wrote:
>
>> Hi there,
>>
>> I've spent some of the recent rainy weekends putting together an LTSP
>> server based on Linux Mint with XFCE.
>> I got there by starting with Edubuntu 14.04, then my own build on Ubuntu
>> 16.04 and finally working through the forums to get Mint 17.3 to build.
>>
>> Now it's up and running it's ridiculously easy to host thin clients (old
>> Gigabyte Brix) from my equally old netbook. loaded with all the common
>> educational applications this would run any Primary school classroom for
>> KS2 and KS3.
>>
>> Since it was an educational distro that got me going on this I began to
>> wonder why the LUGs do not reach out to the local schools and offer their
>> help in establishing Linux as a viable classroom alternative; given that
>> distros like Mint are now so new-user friendly. It can only be lack of
>> exposure to Linux and fear of the unknown that holds back Linux in the
>> Edtech sector.
>>
>> This thought itself was a reflection on the time I spent briefly keeping
>> in touch with the Blackpool LUG last year, until they moved to their new
>> premises; they found a purpose in "makerspace" and all things kinetic
>> connected to Raspberry Pi's along with 3D Printers etc. This has not only
>> held their LUG together, but extended their appeal by giving the group a
>> puropse, rather than all sitting around with old laptops and playing with
>> the latest distro release's which was becoming a little stale.
>>
>> Which gets me to the real point of my note...would anyone on this mailing
>> list like to refresh the Preston LUG, have a get-together, and maybe
>> discuss such options as working with the schools, or any other ideas that
>> would give us a "raison d'etre" to overcome this dormant state?
>>
>> Come on, I know you're out there...you keep buying all the Linux
>> Voice/User mags before I can get to them in Morrisons or Sainsbury's :)
>>
>> Mark Walton
>>
>>
>>
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>
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