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Re: New to the group
From: |
Christian Selig |
Subject: |
Re: New to the group |
Date: |
Fri, 05 Apr 2002 18:49:25 +0200 |
User-agent: |
Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i586; en-US; rv:0.9.7) Gecko/20011221 |
Hello Susan,
hello others,
Susan Stewart wrote:
Hello everyone! I'm a little new to the group, so if this is already
going on and I missed it let me know...
Not much. I'm List Admin and receive 1-2 spam emails to the list that I
have to delete, but there's not much else going on :-/
I was wondering whether or not there's been any attempt to organize a
group to help introduce GNU/Linux and GNU educational tools to public
schools. One might expect under funded public schools to gravitate
immediately toward free software as more and more becomes available to
suit their needs. However, at least in the United States, Windows
admins are a dime a dozen, but there is a scarcity of people familiar
with free software willing to work for what schools are able to pay
(which is below the poverty line in some districts around here -- US
teachers are among our lowest paid professions).
I would really like to see a push to get schools using free software.
I'm sure that we are all aware of the devastating effects of high
software licensing costs on schools. However, unless these schools are
given the resources to administer GNU/Linux based systems, proprietary
software will remain their only option. Making free software a viable
option for public schools would involve finding volunteers from local
LUGs, universities, businesses, etc. to help with initial setup and with
training school staff to use and maintain the systems. Unless teachers
know how to use it, and staff is able to maintain the system, all of our
development efforts will amount to naught.
In conjunction with this effort, I would like to establish resources for
schools interested in beginning computer related extracurricular
programs. We could provide schools with a framework from which to build
programs that will enrich students not only with added opportunities to
acquire computer skills, but with the guiding ideals of free software:
freedom and cooperation.
I have put a lot of thought into how these goals could be accomplished,
and would be more than happy to make a more complete project proposal if
anyone is interested.
I recognize many of the arguments, they have often been mentioned. They
range from social (->poverty) to practical (->adminstration).
Indeed we (German FSuB e.V., "Association for Free Software and
Education") have identified the lack of GNU/Linux support and training
as a main reason why so few schools use Free Software.
In Germany, we have a group called PingoS
(http://www.pingos.schulnetz.org/) which is a network of volunteers that
helps local schools; they express their support for "Linux" (sic!), but
pitily some also help with Windows adminstration. They are a potential
partner. I assume that the situation is worse in other European countries.
The questions for a setting up a project would be:
- At which level? National, International?
- Who manages the project (US, Europe)?
- Who can donate resources?
- How would the work of the project look like, specifially?
- Which existing group/s are willing to cooperate?
Please outline your ideas :-)
After June, I will even be able to donate Web space and bandwidth. What
about including GNU/Linux introducory materials targeted at schools, in
multiple languages? I have already written some ...
Bye,
Christian
--
I am chaos. I am the substance from which your artists and scientists
build rhythms. I am the spirit with which your children and clowns
laugh in happy anarchy. I am chaos. I am alive, and tell you that you
are free. - Eris, Goddess Of Chaos, Discord & Confusion
- New to the group, Susan Stewart, 2002/04/04
- Re: New to the group, Richard Smedley, 2002/04/05
- Re: New to the group,
Christian Selig <=
- Re: New to the group, Kristian A . Rink, 2002/04/06
- Message not available
- Re: New to the group, Christian Selig, 2002/04/06
- Re: New to the group, Alceste Scalas, 2002/04/06
- Re: New to the group, Christian Selig, 2002/04/06
- Italian Free Software bill [was: Re: New to the group], Alceste Scalas, 2002/04/06
- Re: New to the group, Alessandro Rubini, 2002/04/09
- Re: New to the group, Kristian A . Rink, 2002/04/07