Being a parent of 2 computer savvy kids, one 8 the other 5, I would say that the best bet is to go with what they are most likely to encounter at home. Sure, I have a linux machine that I play on but both my kids use Windows Machines and have learned their skills on these.
I would bet that 90% or better of the kids parents at this school have a Windows PC at home.
While learning how to use Linux is a great benefit - it is not really necessary unless you are going to work in a computer related field.
Now, I'm not assuming that these kids are going to learn Linux at the school PCs - Most likely, they will simply run software to help them count and spell. Last time I looked there were about 10000+ windows titles to linux titles in this genre of software.
Have the parents help raise funds for new PCs (it's their kids that will benefit!) and get the community involved. Getting 20 Windows XP PCs will not break the bank.
Check out the TAX CREDIT policy in your state. A tax credit is a great way to donate to a school - you pay up to $1,500 to a school of your choice and get the whole lot back the following year when you do your taxes.
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Being a parent of 2 computer savvy kids, one 8 the other 5, I would say that the best bet is to go with what they are most likely to encounter at home. Sure, I have a linux machine that I play on but both my kids use Windows Machines and have learned their skills on these. I would bet that 90% or better of the kids parents at this school have a Windows PC at home. While learning how to use Linux is a great benefit - it is not really necessary unless you are going to work in a computer related field. Now, I'm not assuming that these kids are going to learn Linux at the school PCs - Most likely, they will simply run software to help them count and spell. Last time I looked there were about 10000+ windows titles to linux titles in this genre of software. Have the parents help raise funds for new PCs (it's their kids that will benefit!) and get the community involved. Getting 20 Windows XP PCs will not break the bank. Check out the TAX CREDIT policy in your state. A tax credit is a great way to donate to a school - you pay up to $1,500 to a school of your choice and get the whole lot back the following year when you do your taxes.