<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <meta content="text/html;charset=ISO-8859-1" http-equiv="Content-Type"> </head> <body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000"> Such a database did indeed exist. Red Hat maintained something that, IIRC, was called "Friends of Red Hat." You'd sign up, and if anybody in your area needed help with (especially Red Hat) GNU/Linux, they could call or email you. It doesn't seem to be around anymore, though, so I guess it wasn't all that successful. Perhaps with the economy in the toilet, now might be a better time to try it. BUT.... Any database like that, in order to be successful, would need to keep "OPM Addiction" in mind. That's why so many school districts (our chief target audience) go with SuprDeluX ThingaMaJig. Yet these same people drive beat-up old 4-cylinder cars to and from schools and complain about gas prices. So remember that when considering any such database. Anything that, to them, smacks of "tie-dye, pony-tail, hippie" will be summarily dismissed. It's got to look and feel "corporate". --TP <div class="moz-signature">_______________________________ Do you <a href="http://www.gnu.org">GNU</a>? <a href="http://www.cmosnetworks.com">Microsoft Free since 2003</a>--the ultimate antivirus protection! </div> Rob Owens wrote: <blockquote cite="mid:20090315193311.GB28142@aurora.owens.net" type="cite"> <pre wrap="">Sounds like free software in general could use a master database for its "sales force". If one existed, I'd sign up. It would be great to be able to input my location and my specialties, so that anybody in my general area could contact me for support or a demo or a sales pitch, etc. -Rob On Sat, Mar 14, 2009 at 07:45:54PM -0400, James P. Kinney III wrote: </pre> <blockquote type="cite"> <pre wrap="">What is needed is something that looks like a "sales force" front for all Linux to "sell" into the schools. What I have seen is schools will buy stuff (whether is works or not!) because a sales person convinces them that they will get benefit XYZ with the product and they will get detriment ABC without the product. School purchasing officers understand this process. They understand purchase means spend cash to get product. They don't understand "product is free. buy support". Most schools have "support" in house. What that support can provide varies all over the board and usually does NOT include Linux :( So the "sale force" has to sell "installed seats" while not violating the spirit and letter of the GPL (which strictly forbids per seat licensing of the code!) by only selling a package of installed code with support - no exceptions. Add in a training program for existing school admins to start getting them up to speed on Linux and it might work. On Sun, 2009-03-08 at 08:30 -0500, Barry R Cisna wrote: </pre> <blockquote type="cite"> <pre wrap="">Hello List, Background: Been using k12ltsp since the first version K12ltsp here. Has anyone else on list thought the same as me in that, " I wonder if k12ltsp/k12linux would be more accepted in schools if someone was out promoting the merits k12ltsp/k12linux"? I know something like this would be hard to organize with everyone doing stuff like this "out of the goodness of their heart". Just like everything else if there is no money involved no one is much interested. I see firsthand how schools just for the most part are a "monkey see, monkey do" type of atmosphere. If school A that neighbors school B buys all macs one year,the next year school B thinks they should be having macs. Also as I have stated many a time. The first thing that comes out of the mouths of the higher ups when stating that k12ltsp is free is" If it is free it can not be very good quality",,,or " How much longer will it be free". I know a few years ago Steve Hargedon was traveling around 'on his own' giving talks in regards to the advantages of k12lltsp,and haven't seen him on the list here for quite some time. I went to one of Steve's presentations when He was here in out part of the country, as a matter of fact and am guessing at that time, there were about 30 people that showed up that evening. Just wondered,if a good sharp 2 hour presentation by someone or a group of a few k12ltsp/k12linux crusaders would be of any benefit? This may be borderline of making k12ltsp/k12linux seem 'commercialized',though too? I DO know one thing with the situation that is REALLY coming on in regards to budgets for schools across the board I would think some of the money hander outers would be more apt to start focusing on something that has potential for money saved. The only downside I would see to all of this,is that many a "network guy/gal" would be out of a job in time,,:-) Just fire up K12ltsp/k12linux server at the start of school year ,add users, and let er go! Just a thought. Easier said than done, I know. Barry Cisna _______________________________________________ K12OSN mailing list <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:K12OSN@redhat.com">K12OSN@redhat.com</a> <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn">https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn</a> For more info see <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://www.k12os.org"><http://www.k12os.org></a> </pre> </blockquote> <pre wrap="">-- James P. Kinney III CEO & Director of Engineering Local Net Solutions,LLC <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.localnetsolutions.com">http://www.localnetsolutions.com</a> GPG ID: 829C6CA7 James P. Kinney III (M.S. Physics) <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:jkinney@localnetsolutions.com"><jkinney@localnetsolutions.com></a> Fingerprint = 3C9E 6366 54FC A3FE BA4D 0659 6190 ADC3 829C 6CA7 -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. _______________________________________________ K12OSN mailing list <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:K12OSN@redhat.com">K12OSN@redhat.com</a> <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn">https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn</a> For more info see <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://www.k12os.org"><http://www.k12os.org></a> </pre> </blockquote> <pre wrap=""> _______________________________________________ K12OSN mailing list <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:K12OSN@redhat.com">K12OSN@redhat.com</a> <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn">https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn</a> For more info see <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://www.k12os.org"><http://www.k12os.org></a> </pre> </blockquote> </body> </html>