Posted by: Anonymous
[ip: 151.188.247.104]
on April 30, 2008 12:54 AM
Hi folks,
Educationally-oriented GNU/Linux is an absolute must if we're to combat proprietary software's current desktop monopoly. I hear young kids saying, "fire up Internet Explorer and surf to <wherever>." This is bad. They should be saying, "fire up a Web browser and surf to...." They also should be learning concepts in school, not just specific applications. Schools are now turning into "voc-tech" institutions instead of really educating. This, too, is bad.
Educationally-oriented GNU/Linux distros like Edubuntu can, and do, help change that.
I've been using the Red Hat-based version of this, called K12LTSP, since 2003. When Edubuntu came on the scene, I thought, "hey, neat! We need a Debianized version of this, too." Lots of folks are familiar with, and love, Debian, and with very good reason. A few folks said, "oh, do we really need that, it's competition," etc. I disagree. We all are fighting Ubuntu's Bug #1 (Microsoft has a desktop monopoly), and Eric "Mr. K12LTSP" Harrison has been a significant contributor to Edubuntu as well.
A lot of very cool things, mostly that come with LTSP 5, are happening in Edubuntu. In the past, it has had some significant "growing pains", since it is pretty new (first version was Dapper Drake LTS in June 2006). However, I've also heard that nearly all those rough edges have been smoothed out. All this is normal and expected.
I do demos in the Northern Virginia area (close to Washington, DC) for LTSP every year, and they've traditionally been done with K12LTSP and, more recently, Edubuntu. If any of you are in my neck of the woods and would like to see this stuff in action, here's where to get more info.
Learn about Linux
Download Linux
Get Linux help
K12LTSP and Edubuntu
Posted by: Anonymous [ip: 151.188.247.104] on April 30, 2008 12:54 AMEducationally-oriented GNU/Linux is an absolute must if we're to combat proprietary software's current desktop monopoly. I hear young kids saying, "fire up Internet Explorer and surf to <wherever>." This is bad. They should be saying, "fire up a Web browser and surf to...." They also should be learning concepts in school, not just specific applications. Schools are now turning into "voc-tech" institutions instead of really educating. This, too, is bad.
Educationally-oriented GNU/Linux distros like Edubuntu can, and do, help change that.
I've been using the Red Hat-based version of this, called K12LTSP, since 2003. When Edubuntu came on the scene, I thought, "hey, neat! We need a Debianized version of this, too." Lots of folks are familiar with, and love, Debian, and with very good reason. A few folks said, "oh, do we really need that, it's competition," etc. I disagree. We all are fighting Ubuntu's Bug #1 (Microsoft has a desktop monopoly), and Eric "Mr. K12LTSP" Harrison has been a significant contributor to Edubuntu as well.
A lot of very cool things, mostly that come with LTSP 5, are happening in Edubuntu. In the past, it has had some significant "growing pains", since it is pretty new (first version was Dapper Drake LTS in June 2006). However, I've also heard that nearly all those rough edges have been smoothed out. All this is normal and expected.
I do demos in the Northern Virginia area (close to Washington, DC) for LTSP every year, and they've traditionally been done with K12LTSP and, more recently, Edubuntu. If any of you are in my neck of the woods and would like to see this stuff in action, here's where to get more info.
http://www.state.gov/m/a/os/78544.htm
It's being held at Jefferson HS for Science & Technology from June 23-27 of this year. Hope to see you there!
--TP
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