[K12OSN] Re: Help me fight FUD

[Dave Hopkins]

 > Not an option.  If MS Office is available, they WILL use it 
exclusively.  The administration is pretty firm on > the stance that 
whatever we do, we'll do exclusively.  All MS, or all StarOffice.

It sounds like the teachers/staff have almost made the decision for 
you.  Since you can't guarantee 100% compatibility and you also have to 
have continuous sound in Impress, there aren't many options unless the 
administration is willing to look long term.   But ... Hot off the 
presses: 
http://asia.cnet.com/news/specialreports/0,39037117,39230757,00.htm  
discusses the rapid (?) adoption of OSS in Asia. If 1/3 of the world's 
population is moving in this direction, perhaps we should also?  Perhaps 
this can sway the administration? Or that 57 year old auto shop teacher? 

 > I know these things to be true.  What I'm hoping to find here are 
some clever, creative, effective ways to
 >  illustrate the salience of these points to a 57-year-old Auto Shop 
teacher, for example.

Can't claim to be creative, but ...  Perhaps an automotive analogy:  
Does every one drive the same car?  Is it worth teaching about or using 
different vehicles to learn both how they are similar and different?  
Can't we also adapt to a different word processor?  Or, appeal to a 
baser motive, in money terms, if you save money on the Office suite, he 
might get better equipment for his shop from some of the savings?