[K12OSN] Linux cut off

"Terrell Prudé, Jr." microman at cmosnetworks.com
Sat Nov 20 02:21:55 UTC 2004


Bill Kendrick wrote:

>On Fri, Nov 19, 2004 at 08:49:40PM -0500, "Terrell Prudé, Jr." wrote:
>  
>
>>The teachers don't really know that the kids are using OpenOffice.org,
>>nor do they seem to care, so long as they can keep opening the kids'
>>files on their Windows boxes running MS Office.
>>    
>>
>
>OOC, any reason the teachers aren't just using OpenOffice.org?
>I see potential for even more $$ savings $$ :)
>
>-bill!
>bill at newbreedsoftware.com                            New Breed Software
>http://www.newbreedsoftware.com/               Tux Paint 0.9.14 is out!
>  
>

Good question.


The answer is that all of this was done very much under the table.  I 
took a major chance with my job in doing even what I've done so far.  If 
this K12LTSP server's ever actually discovered by the top bosses, I 
might have reason to be concerned about my employment.  I *don't* want 
the teachers really knowing what's going on; I *want* them to be quiet.  
The last thing I need is a teacher saying, "Oh, this OpenOffice thing is 
too hard for me, I think I'll make a big stink to the principal's 
director."  The principal would have a problem, the tech person at the 
school would have a problem, and I would definitely have a problem.  
Maybe some day this might change, but I'm not holding my breath.


I did something similar about three and a half years ago with a Red Hat 
Linux Web proxy server at a previous job.  This beastie replaced two 
much larger MS Proxy Servers that fell over nearly every night.  The 
"little" RHL Web proxy worked like a champ and saved boatloads of money, 
and I mean boatloads, for my company.  After six months of trouble-free 
functionality (and *MAJOR* cost savings), it was discovered by the 
London home office, and I was fired for it (my bosses suddenly got 
amnesia, of course).  I seem to have this knack for doing the right 
thing and getting fired for it.  Apparently I have not yet learned my 
lesson, because I intend to continue.  Maybe not in my district, but in 
others...somewhere.  I don't know why I feel this strongly about this; I 
just know that I have to do it.


--TP
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