[Wolves] RE: University of Wolverhampton

[Riddian]

As a student at Wolverhampton University, I'd just like to add a few
things regarding Linux support.

A major problem at the Uni is the poor Linux support, to be more
precise. The Linux installation is set up in such a way that I
sometimes have to resort to using Windows, there are many problems,
such as no printing support, a faulty "computer:///" listing in
Nautilus as none of the icons work, difficulty in mounting/unmounting
USB drives and general stability issues are some of the problems off
the top of my head.

I often ask about the possibility of doing work for the modules I am
taking in Linux, often I am advised against it but so far I have run
into few problems doing so. Most of the resources I need to access are
in MS Word or Powerpoint format, seldom are they in PDF and never in
ODT. However OpenOffice has had little problem reading these
thankfully.

I'm glad to hear the Uni is interested in Linux and Open Source, my
opinion was quite the opposite as all lectures I have spoken to about
Linux bar one have advocated Microsoft products and have shown little
or no interest in Linux or Open Source, some even ridiculing it with
remarks like "Open Source is for sandal wearing, tree hugging hippies
with beards".

I would much like to see a more Pro-Linux stance from the lectures at
Wolverhampton Uni, jokes about Vi and how Open Source developers just
"copy other peoples work" and are "always playing catch up with
Microsoft" aren't something I want to hear when I'm working in Linux
at Uni simply because I may be the only student using Linux in a class
of around 70, plus I certainly don't think such negative comments help
invoke interest to the Linux newcomer.

Chris