Re: Linux for Learning

[Tim Wilson <wilson@chemsun.chem.umn.edu>]

On Wed, 26 May 1999, Michael Goehring wrote:

> Perhaps a better way of stating the question is do you intend to create OSS alternatives for every aspect of the educational system including transportation, food service, library, curriculum, gradebook, student information system, human resources, finance, etc.?

Mike's company makes an excellent electronic gradebook program. I've used
it for five years or so now. Luckily for my school, Misty City has a
reasonable site license policy that allows us to legally provide copies
for our teachers to use at an affordable price. Not all vendors are so
friendly to educators. Commercial != evil, but proprietary is
approaching it. We only need to consider the rapidly shifting file formats
used in the MS Office suite to know that it's true.

I prefer to use Linux over Windows. I am not opposed to spending money on
commercial software. I haven't needed to yet given the availability of
WordPerfect and StarOffice, but I would probably buy a copy of Grade
Machine for Linux. I hope that this group can be part of an effort to
build an open source gradebook that will give Misty City some competition.
I would choose the *best* program, not the one that doesn't cost anything.

Others in this group would choose the open product because of its
openness. I'm not a developer, so I'm not in a position to modify the
source code of my gradebook. I might if I had the skills to do so.

> A bold statement about piracy being "rampant" in the US. I disagree that piracy is "rampant" due to having worked in a school district that educated teachers and administrators about the "do's and don'ts" of using proprietary software. Yes, there were individual cases of piracy, but not widespread piracy as you describe. Will OSS alternatives create an environment of compliance or promote the idea that every proprietary piece of software can now be pirated? Difficult question which only the future will answer.

I really think piracy is a big problem. I resent being put in the position
of using illegal software because my school doesn't have the funds to buy
full licenses. That is never a concern when I'm using my Linux
workstation.

I'm glad you're on the list, Mike. You guys at Misty City have some good
experience in the educational software market. I'm sure we will benefit
from your continued contributions.

-Tim

--
Timothy D. Wilson			"A little song, a little dance,
University of MN, chem. dept.		a little seltzer down your 
wilson@chem.umn.edu			pants."   -Chuckles the Clown
Phone: (612) 625-9828                       as eulogized by Ted Baxter