O and A levels [was Re: [SC.LUG] Robotics]

[Richard Smedley]

Geoff wrote:

> I think most schools could save money buy not using M$ for most 
> things, though as most business' insist on using M$ bloatware (ie 
> Office) then schools will always need to be at leat covering this area.


Hello Geoff,

Welcome to the LUG :-)

I hear this said quite often, but fail to understand
it. Schools are about education. Knowing where to
click on the exact version of an office suite that a
business is using is _training_

Besides which, not every business uses the same
version of MS Office (and some use OOo, or even
Lotus), so training would be best given with Free
Software, to which all pupils have a chance of
contributing (see
http://marketing.openoffice.org/education/schools/
). I don't think my daughter's use of Word 97 at school
is going to springboard her into a job when she leaves
in 2010 or 2012 (nor did it add much to the knowledge
that she gained from using Abiword at home).

> I think this is something the LUG's could assist in. Assisting local 
> schools in saving money, using Linux boxes as the core school servers, 
> using MySQL | Postgress sql servers.


Indeed we could. The question is how best to do this,
and I welcome all ideas on this :-)

> As all schools are supposed to be getting connected to the internet 
> via (at least) broadband connections 
> (http://www.silicon.com/networks/broadband/0,39024661,39119199,00.htm), 
> this is where the additional security of Linux could come into its own.
>
> Only through the sharing of knowledge of Linux (for Free) will schools 
> ever really move to using it. Most schools (governors | headmasters) 
> will have no interest in this area, especially if it means spending 
> more money, though IMHO if it can be shown they can save money, then I 
> think they would quickly come on board.


Unfortunately there's not always an obvious saving -
approximately half of the schools in the country are
part of the Microsoft Schools' Agreement, whereby
they pay a licence fee for all Pentium class machines in
the school, regardless of what software they run. This
simplifies (and saves on) licensing for all-MS shops,
but makes it less worth their while to try Free OSs.

Please note that this agreement is currently under
investigation, and if you know a business who has been
unable to sell into schools because of it, please put them
in touch with me, and I will point them to the appropriate
person at the OFT who are dealing with it. :)


> Sorry to preach, but in I am forced to be a M$ agent.


?

> Jason Lucas wrote:

>> Well as Paul (FatMax) from Wilmslow HS said last month, it's a matter of
>> chip,chip,chip - It's going to take some time
>

Indeed. Ian Lynch from AFFS (and OOo), calls it "eating
the elephant one bite at a time", or somesuch.

>> for Linux to hit the
>> average teacher in the street, 
>

Sorry, we can't hit them on the street - too
many witnesses ;-P

>> Sorry - I really was an aggressive
>> little sod - still am, but in a nice way!) 
>

Directed enthusiasm, it's just what we need ;^)

 - Richard