Re: Educational software for Linux--progress report

[Roger Dingledine <arma@mit.edu>]

In message <199807032328.TAA08645@csrlink.net>, dloss@csrlink.net writes:
>  I've sent email to RedHat encouraging them to come out with a version of
>their distro specifically aimed at the kindergarten through 12th grade market.
>I suggested that they cut some sort of deal with MetaCard to include their
>IDE with the distro in a manner similar to
>how they now include BRU 2000. I don't know if they are considering it or not.

If you forward me a copy of this letter, we can put it up on our website
so more people will read and consider it. (Also, this has the benefit that
Redhat starts hearing more people talk about it.) I can also send it to a
couple places that could publicize it more thoroughly (eg LWN seems to like
getting letters like that). Keep me posted.

>   I've drafted and sent out to ~40 educational software companies a letter re
>questing them
>to support Linux.  (A copy of the letter follows)
[snip]

Looks like a good letter. Thanks for taking the initiative to move ahead
in this. This makes me consider another interesting idea, though -- a
linux-edu howto or mini-howto. The current howto's can be listed at
http://sunsite.unc.edu/mdw/HOWTO/HOWTO-INDEX-3.html#ss3.1
A howto describing educational software on Linux is conspicuously missing.

Things to include might be a discussion of target audience (why it's
relevant to have educational software on linux these days (though be
careful about statements like "all relevant linux users are male and in
their early twenties" (though I'll shut up now because I'm male and in
my early twenties))), good resources for converting current educational
applications from conventional platforms to Linux, good resources for
developing new educational applications under and for linux, and a
list of desired types of programs and maybe even who is providing them
once they're provided. A means of centralized advertising for new
companies porting their edu-software to linux might be a good goal in
itself.

This would be a lot more widely read than an individual campaign, so it
would get a lot more accomplished.

--Roger