Baby steps. Most people, even if you hand them the disc, will not install a new OS just because you say "it's better" and "open source". The user doesn't care. A free office suite that runs on the OS they already use, however, is a great introduction to the open source movement.
Mostly, we want to register as a non-profit to protect the board members. Obviously, no issues are foreseen, but if your not registered as a non-profit and you have issues with the gov't/IRS, board members can be held liable and their stuff can be seized. As remote a possibility as this is, we don't even want it to be possible to happen. Tax-exemption, and tax-breaks for donors are other advantages.
There's not really much I could say to prove it, but it's not a scam. Right now, until we build our reputation, you'll just have to take my word for it.;)
Just because a school has resources to download the software doesn't mean they will. They're much more likely to try it out if they have the CD sitting in front of them. Also, we're targeting the students more than the schools themselves, the schools are just a vehicle for distribution.
The timing of this post hit me just as I was migrating our email services to Google Hosted Services. If you email OSSDI and get a bounce, try again in an hour. Sorry about the trouble!
This seems slightly pointless, as I could take a standard Ubuntu system and install educational apps I want myself. That way, the entire family could use the system and not have to look at the bright colors and corny applications which are installed by default.
Besides, what 5 year old can install Edubuntu?!!;)
There are a number of web-based anonymous email solutions which newspapers could provide their clients with. One example is the anonymous email script at http://attachesoft.com/.
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Great suggestions. I don't know if you'll see this reply, but if so, contact me at [george at OSSDI's domain]. Thanks.
Baby steps. Most people, even if you hand them the disc, will not install a new OS just because you say "it's better" and "open source". The user doesn't care. A free office suite that runs on the OS they already use, however, is a great introduction to the open source movement.
We have a lawyer already who has agreed to do our legal-work for free, besides the government fees required for registration, of course.
Mostly, we want to register as a non-profit to protect the board members. Obviously, no issues are foreseen, but if your not registered as a non-profit and you have issues with the gov't/IRS, board members can be held liable and their stuff can be seized. As remote a possibility as this is, we don't even want it to be possible to happen. Tax-exemption, and tax-breaks for donors are other advantages.
There's not really much I could say to prove it, but it's not a scam. Right now, until we build our reputation, you'll just have to take my word for it. ;)
I am the founder. My full name is George Johnson. Right now, the board members have not been finalized. They will be withing the next few days.
Just because a school has resources to download the software doesn't mean they will. They're much more likely to try it out if they have the CD sitting in front of them. Also, we're targeting the students more than the schools themselves, the schools are just a vehicle for distribution.
The timing of this post hit me just as I was migrating our email services to Google Hosted Services. If you email OSSDI and get a bounce, try again in an hour. Sorry about the trouble!
This seems slightly pointless, as I could take a standard Ubuntu system and install educational apps I want myself. That way, the entire family could use the system and not have to look at the bright colors and corny applications which are installed by default. Besides, what 5 year old can install Edubuntu?!! ;)
There aren't that many phone viruses out there, are there? How perfectly useless!
There are a number of web-based anonymous email solutions which newspapers could provide their clients with. One example is the anonymous email script at http://attachesoft.com/.