Getting people into Linux (was: donated computers lab setup)

[Tim]

On Sun, 2006-12-31 at 18:14 -0500, Dave Sampson wrote:
> To get in with the schools and such... well that is a political
> game.... one that has to relate to money in the pocket...

One of the last times I visited a school I wondered out loud how much
money they wasted on Windows (the horribly high number of PCs in a small
school, the continual updating, etc.).  Sewing the seeds of discontent,
but not evangelising something else as its replacment.  A small amount
of needling in that direction, might perk their attention up to the
point that someone might ask what they could do instead.  That's the
time to promote it, when they *want* to know about something else.

I remember when computing first became big at the local school.  At the
time, we had a few computer teachers really into computing.  Amusingly
enough, there was some of the stereotypes (e.g. large bearded guy).
They were keen on what you could do with software and hardware.

Later on, they weren't raving about that anymore.  Their concentration
was over-occupied with anti-virus, and all the other "not actually using
the PC for yourself" annoyances.

-- 
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