Linux Desktops in New Zealand Schools

nigelr writes "The New Zealand Ministry of Education has signed a deal with Novell New Zealand to provide SUSE Linux desktop licenses in schools. The article claims that while the price for a desktop license now matches what Microsoft charge, the new deal will significantly reduce the over all cost due to reduced charges for existing Novell products used in schools around the country."

Comments

Teacher!...leave the kids alone

[Anonymous Coward]

maybe some of them wanna use Windows!

Re:Teacher!...leave the kids alone

[Anonymous Coward]

Exactly. The New Zealand Ministry of Education has just sold those kids' futures for the sake of a few dollars less. When they get out into the real world, what practical knowledge will their experience with Linux afford them?

Perhaps they'll actually know something,
which is apparently something you are incapable
of demonstrating.

huh

[tsilb]

! Novell's still around? I thought M$ had squished them.

Re:A step in the right direction

[narkotix]

i personally think its a step in the wrong direction. I work for the education department in my country (oz) and i can tell you this is a step in the wrong direction. There is minimal software on linux for students to use. Dont get me wrong there are some good packages but the majority (99.999%) of packages are only available on windows with a few of the more popular ones available on the mac. Its all good getting paid support but seriously when a teacher comes in wanting to purchase software that is windows only, wtf are the admins going to do? I believe in the right tool for the right job and personally through my years of experience as a learning tech co-ordinator, at a K-10 level windows is realistically the only way to go.

OMG

[kirk26]

How will the kids be able to do any work?????