Re: Linux in high schools.

["Ralph M. Deal" <deal@xxxxxxxx>]

Thanks for the message, Bruce.

> I know there is some interest on this list for Linux in high schools.
> (although not by me personally)
> 
> I found this message on another LUG mailing list and thought I'd pass
> it along, FWIW.  I know nothing about it other than what is said below:

Do you recall which LUG mailing list?
 
> HELP BRING LINUX TO YOUR LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL!
> SuSE Linux recently announced the SuSE Free Linux Program for U.S. high 
> schools--public or private. Administrators, IT specialists, or teachers 
> can apply to participate in the program by filling out a form online. 
> Qualifying schools will receive 10 or 20 copies of SuSE 7.0 boxed sets. 
> (There are 2,000 boxed sets available.) This program's aim is part of 
> an ongoing SuSE campaign to make open source computing the IT standard 
> for operating systems and applications in educational institutions 
> worldwide. SuSE is targeting high schools in an attempt to acquaint 
> young people, as well as teachers and administrators, with the high 
> quality of open source software, which enables educational institutions 
> to free themselves from budget-draining licensing fees. Because your 
> local high school computing faculty may not be aware of this 
> initiative, why don't you pick up the phone and give them a call?
> http://www.suse.com/
> http://www.suse.com/cgi-bin/schools.pl

Does it make sense to distribute SuSE LINUX to public schools?
I know that the Olivet Community Schools are about to drop LINUX which
they been using for a mail/webserver because none of their staff knew
LINUX and the local REMC can provide them with an NT equivalent at no
cost.  They were running RedHat 6.1 they had inherited from the previous
IT manager.  Since I have no root privileges, I can't help them.

I believe that making LINUX boxed sets available will not convert many if
any schools to using LINUX unless some staff member(s) already know(s)
LINUX. 

One possible way to get schools to try LINUX is to promote its use in
journals read by teachers/IT managers in public schools. A so-placed
article could include the SuSE offer.

	Best,  Ralph   deal@kzoo.edu