First in a series

[Douglas Loss <dloss@csrlink.net>]

I have a number of thoughts on this mailing list and on educational uses of Linux, which I'm
going to post in separate messages so that if any of them generate useful discussions the
threads won't be intermixed.

My first thought is that all of us on this mailing list ought to send a short introductory
message telling about ourselves and our interest in Linux and education.  I'll start.

I'm 46 years old and have two stepchildren (in their 20s and making their own ways in the
world) and one 6 year old son.  I work as the Data Network Coordinator (a fancy title given
in lieu of an increase in compensation) for Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania.  I started
 using Linux about 2 years ago when I needed to replace an obsolete home system.  That system
 was an AT&T 3b1, an abortive attempt at a unix-based desktop computer.  I refuse to have any
 software that puts a penny in Microsoft's coffers in my house (I haven't had any since the
Radio Shack TRS-80 days), so Linux was an obvious choice.

However, using Linux as a home computer brought up the question of how to use it to further
Stefan's education.  I bought a copy of Executor, a Macintosh emulator.  I find that it can
run a significant percentage of Mac software, although I can't easily predict which programs
will and which won't run.  That kind of chills the purchase of software, as you generally
can't return it once you've opened it.  For that reason I started to look for native Linux
educational programs.

As you surely realize, I didn't find any.  That lead me to start advocating Linux ports to
various educational software companies, which prompted the Commercial Port Advocacy HOWTO.  A
 question one of the companies I approached asked prompted Roger to start the lu-news
project.  The overall topic struck a responsive chord with a number of people.  Hence this
mailing list.

That's about it for me.  Who's next?

--
Doug Loss            An idealist is one who, on noticing that
dloss@csrlink.net    roses smell better than cabbage, concludes
(717) 326-3987       that they will also make better soup.
                        H. L. Mencken