[K12OSN] Linux cut off

["Terrell Prudé, Jr."]

Permission is certainly granted.  Go for it!

BTW, I have, for the last year, been able to go completely to GNU/Linux 
on my desktop, without ever touching a single Win32 app on said 
desktop.  This is in a total and complete dyed-in-the-wool Microsoft 
shop.  It is possible, and it's no longer hard.

--TP

Jim Kronebusch wrote:

>Terrell,
>   This is one of the best set of analogies and yet the simplest single
>argument I have seen yet to exercise the point of OSS.  If you don't
>mind I would like your permission to print this and keep to present to
>the narrow-minded individuals I run into in the future.  
>
>   I have been quietly attempting to gather data to help prove this
>point in the schools I support.  Everyone always tells me they need
>certain software to teach.  Instead this year I am asking all of the
>teachers to put together an outline of the goals they hope to achieve
>when teaching students technology.  I have instructed them to not give
>me stuff like to learn Word, or Accelerated Reader.  But to give me
>stuff like to learn to type, to learn to use a word processor, and to
>also break down the range of skills they hope to teach in those
>categories such as how to bold, underline, create tables, etc.  Once
>they give me that list not knowing the real reason why, I will find
>software that helps them teach all of their stated goals and use their
>own documentation to prove my point.  At least that is my plan :-)
>
>Thanks,
>
>  
>
>>You're right to duck like that.  The reason is that we are 
>>educators of 
>>*concepts* in K12 schools.  Having come from corporate 
>>myself, I don't 
>>see any justification for turning fourth-graders into "Good Little 
>>Employees" ready to be trained monkeys on specific applications.  
>>Children don't learn how to write on just Avery-brand paper.  
>>They learn 
>>how to write.  Period.  Same with math--we don't teach them 
>>how to add, 
>>subtract, multiply, and divide only on HP calculators.  
>>Rather, we teach 
>>them how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide, period.  Same with 
>>cars.  The auto shop in every high school I've ever seen that has one 
>>teaches the kids how to work on cars, not just Fords, not 
>>just Chevys, 
>>not just Toyotas, etc.  They teach *automobiles*.
>>
>>What we should be focusing on is the *concept* of word 
>>processing.  Same 
>>with using a spreadsheet--any spreadsheet, or any presentation 
>>software.  I don't want kids only being able to use Microsoft 
>>products; 
>>they're no good to me in my shop, and I won't--and can't--hire them.  
>>Several educators have found that, when children are exposed 
>>to multiple 
>>implementations of the same concept, they get that concept a 
>>whole lot 
>>better.  I have found that to be true of myself even to this day.
>>
>>Schools do not have the same goals as corporations.  
>>Corporations care 
>>strictly and only about the bottom line for shareholders.  
>>The mission 
>>of schools, by contrast, is to get a young mind to develop 
>>and open up 
>>to new ideas.  K12 schools are not Voc-Tech institutes like ITT.  
>>They're centers of general mental development, teaching 
>>children of all 
>>ages how to learn.  Am I opposed to children learning about Microsoft 
>>Windows and Office?  Not really.  Am I opposed to children learning 
>>about *ONLY* Microsoft Windows and Office?  Yes!
>>
>>If you think I'm wrong here, then, one corporate person to 
>>another, I'd 
>>like to know your thoughts.
>>
>>--TP
>>    
>>