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ZA LUG Launches Operation FreeTux

Posted by michael on from the free-to-be-me dept.

David Son writes "On the celebration of Youth Day (June 16) in South Africa, a volunteer group of Linux enthusiasts (SLUG - Schools Linux Users Group), teachers, learners and community members set about installing 240 refurbished thin clients, 10 servers and 250 network cables at 10 schools in the Western Cape, in three hours. In a carefully co-ordinated effort called Operation FreeTux, SLUG members displayed their support for the Open Source movement by implementing Linux and K12 educational software at the 10 schools simultaneously, and at the same time transferring skills and knowledge to the school community."

17 comments

  1. is this really for developers? by chochos · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Don't get me wrong, what the note says is great and I wish that more things like this happen. But does this note really belong in the Developers section? Does anything Linux-related automatically end up here?

    --
    Go hug some trees.
    1. Re:is this really for developers? by Chi-Sing · · Score: 1

      I notice that your website refers to saving the rainforest (am I mistaken?). The hope here is that the youth will be saved from mediocre systems that are presumably given away freely by another OS company. The contention is that Linux and Open Source software is the preferred route in achieving true software Freedom, especially to communities that cannot afford the other OS and are disadvantaged as they do not have access to other forms of education-enhancing tools such as computers. The model that has been achieved here promotes the use of Linux and encourages the communities to seek other ways of addressing the inadequacies of the current education system. For a 'third-world' country to achieve this using Linux enthusiasts and volunteers is remarkable, and exemplifies the many uses of free open source systems such as Linux. Idealistically, we could certainly benefit greatly from the interest of developers in achieving an Open Source educational model for the our community of schools. There is a developer website eduslug.sourceforge.net, should anyone be interested.

    2. Re:is this really for developers? by chochos · · Score: 1

      The website is not mine, but it certainly is for saving the rainforest (disclaimer: I'm not a tree hugger or anything of the sort, but it's a problem that concerns me since I've seen the mindless and pointless devastation of forests and have lived its consequences).
      I happen to live in a so-called 'third-world' country myself. I use Linux everyday, and I'm an active developer in two open source projects (and not-so-active in another two). I think that the news posted here is pretty cool and Something Good, and I hope something like that would happen in schools here in Mexico. I was just saying that the news seems to be completely unrelated to Developers (except maybe for any developers directly involved in the software that was installed in these school).
      More and more I think there should be a section about Linux gaining popularity, or open source to the masses or something like that. This news would fit perfectly there, as would many other postings in this site that usually end up in the Developers section (and yes, I know that the whole site focuses on open source but still...)

      --
      Go hug some trees.
    3. Re:is this really for developers? by Chi-Sing · · Score: 1

      I would tend to agree with you on the category of posting. I was surprised that it appeared under Developers, when I had selected "Linux". Perhaps there should be an advocacy slot :-) Thanks for your comments.

  2. In other news.... by oO+Peeping+Tom+Oo · · Score: 1

    ....500 armchair sysadmins compensated by doing a network install of Microsoft Windows XP Professional machines.

  3. Youth Day? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    "Youth Day"?

    Man, and I thought we had stupid holidays and stuff in America.

    So is Youth Day a day where you celibrate young people or a day where young people get off their asses and do some work?

    1. Re:Youth Day? by deep2k · · Score: 1, Informative

      Information regarding Youth Day

    2. Re:Youth Day? by Outsider_99 · · Score: 1

      Hey... Its a public holiday for us South Africans... dont mock it!

    3. Re:Youth Day? by Chi-Sing · · Score: 1

      The original piece was moderated and included an explaination which was left out: "It is appropriate, on the anniversary of the Soweto student uprising, which has become a symbol of the struggle and sacrifice of youth for freedom and democracy, the freedom of software is implemented for the benefit of ALL youth." More info on this site http://www.info.gov.za/sa_overview/holidays.htm#Yo uthDay In America you celegrate Martin Luther King Jnr Holiday! Your site : http://www.holidays.net/mlk/ Some commonality exists. Freedom belongs to ALL not a selected few. Chinese-South African

  4. Never happen in the US. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This would never (or rarely) happen in the United States. Schools are controlled by complex beauracracies and administrations and unions. You can't just go around helping out because you want to and you can't just give money to a school becuase you want to donate (it isn't fair to other schools/districts if you donate money to them rather than giving it to the government as taxes for them to distribute fairly).

    No to mention, schools are too uneducated about technology and too much in bed with Microsoft and Apple to ever allow a bunch of geeks to donate equipment, time or services. In fact, if you walked into a school and said "I and a dozen other people would like to upgrade and revamp your school network and computers voluntarily", they'd probably say "thanks, but we can't do that" and shoo you away.

  5. New Eco system ... by turnin · · Score: 1

    A perfect illustration of a new eco system at its formative stages.

    1. Re:New Eco system ... by Chi-Sing · · Score: 1

      An eco-system none the less have we. It grows, evolves and will mature while other habitats with no other life excepting their own stagnates and dies.

  6. Open source works for the people by random_culchie · · Score: 0

    This is a perfect example of the benifits of open source. Without open source these children would have no network and no software!

  7. Microsoft Held a similar event... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Here's a microsoft and Sco version of this article:

    "On the celebration of Youth Day (June 16) in South Africa, a highly paid group of Microsoft consultants and SCO sponsored lawyers set about demanding licenses for 240 refurbished thin clients, 10 servers and copies of XP at 10 schools in the Western Cape, in three hours. In a carefully coordinated effort called Operation MoreCa$h, SCO members displayed their support for the Closed Source movement by implementing lawsuits at the 10 schools simultaneously, and at the same time transferring much needed capital into a company swimming in red ink."

  8. Hero Worship by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Amazing, showing everybody what it is all about, it actually truly embodies the idea and concept behind Youth Day, giving something to the youth so that they can build a better and brighter future for themselves, Man you guys really leave a long and wide snail trail...Well Done !!!

  9. Why Install Everything Same Day? by afriguru · · Score: 1
    ... To install thin-client GNU/Linux networks at TEN schools around Cape Town in ONE day. This is no easy task to accomplish, and much planning had to go into this project.
    Frankly speaking, I don't see the point of doing it all in one day if it then has to involve more people and new layers of administration ("A team leader for each tuXlab was selected "). Am I missing something? Why do Linux installations have to be 'fested'?
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