Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Linux Desktops Catching On In Education

Posted by kdawson on from the penguin-in-the-classroom dept.

digihome writes to point us to an appreciation of the state of Indiana's project of moving students from Windows desktops to Linux. In about a year, 22,000 students have made the switch, using a variety of Linux distributions. The crn.com writer tried switching his own two children to Linux laptops. From the article: "'So Dad,' [the 10-year-old son] asked. 'What is the difference between Linux and Windows?' I tried to explain but it was a waste of breath. 'What difference do you see?' I asked back. 'Nothing, really.'"

16 of 379 comments (clear)

  1. No reason to switch by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well, since there's no difference, I might as well stick with Windows.

  2. no difference? by arifirefox · · Score: 2, Funny

    that can be changed very quickly...

    --
    Firefox Power http://firefoxpower.blogspot.com/
  3. clearly they're the same. by geedra · · Score: 2, Funny

    'What difference do you see?' I asked back. 'Nothing, really.' What a detailed, well thought-out response. Kid must have spent a whole 3 seconds coming up with that one.

    1. Re:clearly they're the same. by thewils · · Score: 5, Funny

      Then the parent smacked the kid upside the head with a perl manual, and the child was thusly enlightened.

      --
      Once I was a four stone apology. Now I am two separate gorillas.
  4. Re:Giving high schoolers Linux is a bad idea by kindlekoma · · Score: 2, Funny

    Bad idea reason number 2: Puberty, is already greasy enough.

  5. Gates kills kittens by GrayCalx · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'm surprised the author didn't go with the ol' "Microsoft Windows kills kittens. You don't want your OS to kill kittens... do you Timmy?"

    1. Re:Gates kills kittens by QuantumG · · Score: 2, Funny

      hey, that's just what I heard.

      --
      How we know is more important than what we know.
  6. The difference... by alyawn · · Score: 5, Funny

    Dad: "The difference is, Son, that it didn't come pre-installed."
    Son: "What does installed mean?"
    Dad: "GO TO YOUR ROOM!"
    Son: (mumbles) "I wanted a PS3 not stupid leaf-nuts...."

  7. Just Wait by RAMMS+EIN · · Score: 2, Funny

    No difference between Linux and Windows? Just wait until they use their shell scripts, customizations, and self-written software with Windows.

    --
    Please correct me if I got my facts wrong.
  8. Well son by ellem · · Score: 4, Funny

    "'So Dad,' [the 10-year-old son] asked. 'What is the difference between Linux and Windows?'

    Well son the big difference is that all your friends will be playing games and posting nude videos of themselves and you'll be loading kernels and learning the intricacies of Sokoban but hey, no viruses in Pine!

    --
    This .sig is fake but accurate.
  9. Re:Giving high schoolers Linux is a bad idea by morgan_greywolf · · Score: 5, Funny


    Not me. I've been using the same Apple
    ][+ for almost 30 years! Only thing is
    that reading Slashdot in 40 columns is
    REALLY rough. Maybe I should've sprung
    for an OrangeMicro 80-column card, huh?

    --
    My blog
  10. Re:Great, where do we sign up... by FiveLights · · Score: 2, Funny

    it's amazing that people are jumping on the linux bandwagon. What with the warm, welcoming, and supportive arms of the linux community!

  11. 2007 by KingoftheAges · · Score: 2, Funny

    Maybe this is a sign that 2007 will be the year of the Linux desktop. Right?

  12. Re:Funny... by Eternauta3k · · Score: 5, Funny
    If they're going to work around inadequacies, maybe they can work around ones that they have the potential to implement themselves, given the aptitude.
    You mean

    sudo aptitude
    ?
    --
    Yeah. Would you choose a neurosurgeon who pokes around people's brains in his spare time? I wouldn't.
  13. Re:Great, where do we sign up... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    "and a masochistic teacher gave me a fortran book"

    Did it have pictures of him flagellating himself?

  14. Windows is catching up fast by flyingfsck · · Score: 3, Funny

    Give Windows another 5 years or so and it will be ready for the desktop.

    --
    Excuse me, but please get off my Pennisetum Clandestinum, eh!