Re: [Community_studios] Re: [seul-edu] Re: Unified Front...

["Michael Williams" <mwilliams@haywood.k12.nc.us>]

> Linux already *is* easy to install (certainly easier to install than
> Windows). It *is* important to have an Office-compatible suite (and we
> do). Many school  districts *do* need a support contract with a
> company. You can't airily dismiss  that last fact with dollops of
> elbow-grease and a can-do spirit, and it's what  Red Hat and others
> base their business models on (though I suspect they have  bigger fish
> to fry than school districts). We need to be willing work closely  with
> *any* company that is willing to provide a support contract to a school
>  district. Let's say Red Hat puts together a contract for a school
> district to  defenestrate (throw Windows out the window). I think we
> should be able to  marshall volunteers on the ground who can help with
> the transition, and then  step back a bit and let Red Hat earn their
> money.
>

I agree whole heartedly.. Think of them as training wheels.... In all the
years I've been converting  our district over,  RedHat is the only one that
has taken the time to ask what my needs are and actually listened. They are
talking to people in education and finding out what the resistance is and
are working on solving those issues.

> Nothing succeeds like success. The best way to show people Linux isn't
> scary is to set them down in front of a working Linux box. The best way
> to show school  district CTOs that Linux isn't scary is to show them
> another school district  that works just fine on Linux.
>

Show and Tell

>
> We are doing that. Like any revolutionary technology, we first have to
> go after early adopters. After these people demonstrate to their peers
> that you *can* live without Microsoft, they will eventually get their
> pitchforks and torches, and surround the Castle Gates. The reality is
> that we're dealing with  slow-moving bureaucracies, and bureaucracies
> recoil from perceived risk like  vampires from a cross. Think of them
> as penguins on an ice floe. They all mass  at the edge until one jumps
> (or hast the misfortune to be pushed) into the  water. If blood comes
> to the surface, they back off, not wanting to become seal  bait. If
> there's no blood in the water, they'll all jump in.
>

Come on in the waters fine! :-)

>
> I used to work in the marketing department, but I sure wouldn't call
> myself a "marketing person." Anyway, I think it's more important for us
> to get a few districts working well than to worry about conquering the
> world. Total World Domination takes time, after all...
>
> This list is for folks putting together one aspect of TWD, which is
> applications
>  (and the matter at hand, an ISO) for schools. One step at a time.
>
> --William

Anyone actually wanting to help a 100% district wide linux server solution
school district iron out a few issues and help document it please contact
me. I'm sure there are better ways of doing things than I'm currently doing
and could use some input.

Michael
-- 
Michael Williams                   Instructional Technology
Haywood County Schools          216 Charles St. Clyde, NC 28721
http://www.k12linux.org                 (828) 627-8314