Re: Linux for Learning

[Harry McGregor <micros@azstarnet.com>]

I am right now (even as I write this) envolved in a project to replace a 
school computer lab.

The previous lab was made up of 28 Mac LCs with 10MB ram, 40MB SCSI HDs, 
dying 12" monitors (they are dropping like flies throughout the
district), and ezflyer 230 syquest drives.  This was on an Apple talk
network without internet access.  The school has an intradistrict T1
line, .5 Class C address space, and an ethernet network.  Unfortunatly
the lab was unable to get connected.

The new lab is built out of donated PCs with minimal school $s  (total
about $10K over two budget years).

New systems are Compaqs (ugh, would really prefer generic built PCs...), 
Prolinea P575 and P590s (both groups are now clocked at 90MHz).  We have 
upgraded the Ram to 64MB.  This was a now or never choice since EDO ram
is out of production by the major memory makers.

All systems came with 3c509 cards.  We purchased the cabling, the hubs,
etc.

Software is Slackware Linux 4.0 (just starting that now, during the last 
half of the year we were on a throwen together slackware 3.6 based
setup)

StarOffice 5.0 was being used, we have a site license for staroffice 5.1 
on order (Should be shipping VERY soon)

We pruchased an InFocus Lp225 projector.

New HP LaserJet 4000TN is on order

about half a lab worth (10-17 depending on finial budgeting) of 17"
monitors are on order.


These systems are being totaly ignored by the school district.  If I was 
not voluntering MY TIME (I have put over 500 hours into this lab! Free
of charge) these computers would still be siting in boxes, the district
saying "we can't aford the software, or the time to set them up"

Total cost for software was $300 for star office.  Everything else is a
hardware cost.  I hate spending money on bloatware when we could more
effectivly spend money on hardware.

We did discuss the idea of buying windows 9x for the systems.
Unfortunatly this opens the can of worms of teachers asking well why
can't we get software X, it's only $49.95 at costco?  They don't even
think of the "we have to buy one for each system".  This means that
every time we have to sit down and tell them the REAL cost of buying the 
software.  With linux having very little comerical software, we avoide
this problem for the next few years.  this gives us time to focus our $
on hardware.


			Harry


On Wed, 26 May 1999, Michael Goehring wrote:

> >This gives me an idea -- why don't we set up a table, with proprietary
> >software that schools typically use on one side, and free alternatives
> >(the more the merrier, plus pages describing how to configure them well)
> >on the other side.
> >I'm sure such pages exist for general software (actually, I haven't found
> >any that were publicized very far, and I tend to keep a close eye on all
> >the Linux announcements sites/lists), but this would be tailored specifically
> >to k-12 use, so it would include typing tutors, word processors, gradebooks,
> >web proxies for limiting web access, etc.
> >
> >We're not going to be able to make this list without the help of the people
> >who are actually *in* the schools using the software, so they can list
> >real programs that we should list alternatives for.
> >
> >We should actually get some resources out there and useful to schools,
> >else we're just going to stay a discussion list.
> >
> >--Roger
> 
> For the last few months I have been a casual observer of the correspondence on this mail list and read numerous admirable ideas and thoughts about ways to improve the educational environment. The idea of setting up a table to show alternatives to proprietary software schools currently use makes me question the intent of the admirable ideas I have read thus far. Do you intend to re-invent all of the current educational solutions available?
> 
> If so, why? What is the motivation to do so? Yes, there are numerous problems with the current educational system, but numerous initiatives are already proliferating to address the issues. For example, the SIF (Schools Interoperability Framework) Initiative <http://www.schoolsinterop.org> is working on reducing the redundancy in the North American educational system by creating an XML standard for moving data back and forth between currently divergent applications. This "best of breed" approach allows schools to maximize the efficiency of their data collection, while eliminating redundancy. Every vendor associated with the SIF Initiative is devoted to changing the current way the educational system shares data, and willing to work side by side with their competitors to do so.
> 
> If you decide to create alternatives to the current proprietary software, what are your hoping to accomplish? Have you heard from schools that no current educational solutions meet their needs, thereby necessitating an open-source environment to re-build the infrastructure from the ground up?
> 
> Please let me know,
> 
> Mike Goehring
> Misty City Software
> 
>