How Schools Can Get Free Software

RicJD writes "The BBC is reporting on a school in England which has found a way to save money through Open Source Software. It goes on to explain the idea behind OSS, and briefly how they've incorporated it into the school system. Could this be the way to show the UK government that savings can be had through OSS?" Likely an adoption spurred by the education report we reported on earlier this year.

Comments

How Schools Can Get Cheap Software:

[AEton]

Make a credible threat to switch to free software.
(Submit your school's "migration plan" to the BBC. Just in case Microsoft doesn't read that, Slashdot the story!)

I for one, agree

[Grep*coke*]

This sounds like the best idea an education system, whether it be the UK or the US, has ever had. All schools could save hundreds of dollars by using Linux instead of Windows, and it would give kids a better background. Also, it might encourage the development of more OSS by the students.

Re:I for one, agree

[garcia]

All schools could save hundreds of dollars by using Linux instead of Windows, and it would give kids a better background.

A better background in what? Using OSS software instead of Microsoft software? In the real world (yes, there are some exceptions) people use Microsoft Office. HR drones and automated readers reviewing your resumes aren't going to understand that Open Office is like Microsoft Office. They want to see Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Access on your resume, not their OSS counterparts.

Also, it might encourage the development of more OSS by the students.

Why? Because a machine that's running OSS will somehow be any less locked down by the admins than a similar Windows workstation? Give me a break.

Yes, Linux is less money and should be used in schools to give the taxpayers a break. It should not be thought of as anything other than a tool though. The students will use a web browser, an office suite, and e-mail. They aren't going to be using it any differently than if they were using Windows.

Re:I for one, agree

[Approaching.sanity]

That is one of the more horrible things I think you could have said.

IT is pervasive in modern society. It not only runs our work lives as a tool, it is also recreation and education. The more exposure you have to more kinds of software the better equiped you are to deal with more situations.

If we use your arguement then we should not require all students to take science courses as they will not all be using the knowlege of what a mol is in their every day lives.

Re:I for one, agree

[jbolden]

"HR drones" don't come from mars they come from the very school systems we are talking about. They believe that their job should involve pattern matching instead of understanding because non honors courses in school emphasize regurgitation instead of understanding (often the honors courses do as well).

Correcting the use of Microsoft software and switching over to a Unix frame of mind could potential aid in fixing the larger problem.

Re:I for one, agree

[Aldric]

"A better background in what? Using OSS software instead of Microsoft software? In the real world (yes, there are some exceptions) people use Microsoft Office. HR drones and automated readers reviewing your resumes aren't going to understand that Open Office is like Microsoft Office. They want to see Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Access on your resume, not their OSS counterparts."

If schools all use free software (as they should, I don't see why my taxes should go to Microsoft) then the HR drones aren't going to have much choice but to learn that an office suite is an office suite no matter who the vendor is.

Re:I for one, agree

[legirons]

"In the real world people use Microsoft Office."

Actually in the real world (when I was at school), people use WordPerfect for MS-DOS, and smaller companies were starting to use Lotus Ami Pro.

How would it have helped if I'd learned those applications?

We even had a fairly-major CS test at school, where one of the questions was 'what keystroke is used to right-format a line in Ami Pro'. How is information like that going to help me now, typing into a Slashdot textbox using FireFox (neither of which could even have been imagined when I was learning IT/CS)

How would teaching people Word help now? The next generation of business technology seems to be influenced by what CS graduates are using at home today, and recently that's been Linux, Free Software on Windows2000, and we're starting to see some Mac OS. If you wanted to teach in school "for business", then you would start by thinking what people will find useful in 5-10 years when they get their first jobs.

And even if you're "living in the present", why would you standardise on something that requires the parents to pay hundreds of pounds extra to do computer-related homework, when you could select an almost-identical program that you can distribute for free?

Re:I for one, agree

[Charles W Griswold]

[. . .] will they be able to competently work with a Start menu?

That reminds me, I need to get back to my first-draft manuscript of "The Start Button for Real Dummies".

Yea, I think that most X users can handle a Start menu. A more likely complication of learning Linux and then switching to Windows are screams of frustration at the bone-headed limitations inherent in the Windows environment. (Like the fact that you have to essentially run as root to do anything.)

Money saved, but only to be wasted elsewhere

[mc6809e]

No one ever got elected by saving money. This saved money will only be spent elsewhere.

That said, the best reason for using open source has nothing to do with saving money.

It's the opportunity to get a look inside at how the machine works.

Anyone that's taken apart a toaster or washing machine timer, etc, understands how valuable a thing it is to be able to see how it works.

That's why open source belongs in schools.

Re:Money saved, but only to be wasted elsewhere

[dewie]

This saved money will only be spent elsewhere.

Um, yes. Yes it will. Is that a bad thing? Why save it otherwise?