[K12OSN] K12LTSP Installation Decision

[hoffmann at fidnet.com]

My thanks go out to all those who answered my questions about setting up
K12LTSP at my rural  Missouri K-8 school district.  I sincerely believe that
thin clients with Linux and OpenOffice software are THE answer for schools.
Steve Hargadon asked me to post some comments regarding how I chose the
Linux installation for our school.

First, I hoped that I could learn to install K12LTSP on my own.  However,
reading the posts on the K12OSN list really worried me.  People seem to be
having so many problems.  Our teachers and students don't have time for me
to post question after question in an attempt to get something to work. They
want reliable computers in the classroom - period.  If it takes too long to
get everything set up, or if something doesn't work correctly, the project
will be considered a failure. There will be no tolerance for an unstable
system.  (Can't you hear the grapevine buzzing, "Oh, we tried that 'Linux
stuff' at our school.  It was a DISASTER.")  This project is too important
to allow my lack of experience to jeopardize its success.

Therefore, the only choice I have is to hire a commercial company to
configure everything for me.  I feel our school board will be much more
inclined to go along with this project if the installation is done in a
professional manner.  Missouri's Department of Education recently came out
in support of Linux thin clients
(http://www.emints.org/equipment/fy06/thinclient.shtml (see "eMINTS pilot
information" halfway down the page).  I spoke with Lumen Software of Kansas
City, MO; SafeDesk Solutions of Spokane, WA; and Steve Hargadon of
Technology Rescue in Yuba City, CA.  Ultimately, I chose to continue working
with SafeDesk Solutions -- solely because I know of two other schools in
Missouri that are pleased with their service.

Thanks again for your kind and patient support.  I'd still like to learn to
set up K12LTSP on my own; but for now, I have to take the easy way out. It's
the most efficient way for me to provide the technology that my students
deserve.

Karen Hoffmann
Franklin Co. R-2 School
New Haven, MO