Linux as a platform

[Dominic Webb]

On Tue, 2006-10-10 at 20:39 +0100, Andy Trevor wrote:
> Dom,
> 
> lets go back to your original question.
> 
> "establishing Linux as a superior platform to deliver IT to education"
> 
> Currently Linux is an inferior platform to deliver IT in UK education.
I don't think it is at a yes or no stage, Linux. It is in many aspects
superior but not in others.
> 
> A bold statement from someone who makes a living from deploying Linux 
> for UK education.  Let me expand.
Indeed!
> 
> It is inferior for a number of reasons, little of which has to do with 
> Linux itself.
> 
> The biggest one of all is lack of good quality curriculum specific 
> education applications.  
True but I question whether applications is where the war is to be won.
Most commercial apps are simply glorified, branded wrappers for
creating/delivering office type or flash files.

>From an end user point of view having to learn "Company A's" attempt at
"Cut Down Version of MS Office" is a hindrance - we have asked both
students and teachers and they agree.

There are existing 'applications' through which to deliver the content,
which have global, workplace recognition. 

Use Case: Little Jimmy, fresh out of school who you've employed, says
can I create this doc using "Company A's" cut-down version of MS Office.
After laughing you'll probably wonder what you have employed and what
your tax payers money is funding within education!

My point in all this is: Let the content industry deliver content.
Support that content for the end user in a common, small set of
applications e.g. Flash Player/Web Browser, (Open)Office.

> The UK schools have become heavily reliant on 
> software bought by ELCs.  Most of the packages are baby sitting rubbish 
> but some do have real value.  Until this is addressed by ISVs 99.9% of 
> these apps will stay windows only. 

> The trouble is they see little 
> market for converting them to Linux due to the small numbers of schools 
> using it as their primary delivery platform.  
This is a diminishing argument with which we are having a good go at. We
have had to offer technical resources and backup but only in initial
stages. Also Mono, love it or not, is a trojan horse for cross platform
apps. We spend 80% of our time using Mono to help companies port
their .net written app.

Note this would be an application, not a wrapper for delivering content.
A good example would be, mindmapping tools for special needs children.

> Schools will not deploy 
> Linux due to the lack of apps.  Chicken and egg.......................
Yes they will. You have to make a case for all aspects of ICT though,
which is hard, but getting easier.
> 
> Secondly,  there seems to be a lack of political will to push OSS 
> forward in education.  
Yes, but there's a lack of coherent ICT strategy in the UK, at least.
Hence why the mediocrity that the big incumbents produce can exist.

I think ultimately there has to be the drive and will to bang your head
against a brick wall for what appears to be a few crumbs!

> Ourselves and colleagues speak to Becta via 
> various channels and get mixed responses.  
Yes but the answer to BECTA lies within your previous comment. This is a
fact that schools are all to aware of. 

With LEA's losing the E and becoming LA's the real decision power is
with schools. With this being so the value of BECTA is undermined by the
lack of political follow through. SIF got legislation in the US. It may
not technically be the most current way of doing things but at least
every one sings from the same hymn sheet.

> The introduction of KS3 
> online (term used loosely) testing has proven to be a stumbling block 
> for us in a couple of schools.  It is heavily geared to MS products, 
> making OS platforms especially thin client a real issue.  Same applies 
> for Mac based schools.
Why? Can we help here?

> 
> Thirdly is the lack of will of current educators to think outside the 
> box and accept change.  There are those out there who can and do, but 
> they are a minority.
If we want thinking outside the box, NESTA should be the focus of people
attention. However as an MS sponsored quango I wish you better luck than
we have had!

In schools, you have to have an answer for everything...or at least be
able to provide an acceptable workaround or a case for ceasing
something.

We have to do a lot of work to a vanilla Ubuntu install to make the user
experience transparent, and even then we don't do it completely. Key, I
think is that we go beyond the Desktop/Server/local network when looking
for answers. Perhaps Edubuntu's remit should start to include services?

Also, and I say again, having answers to the most stubborn persons
questions is the key. Break down the one or two brick wall builders with
answers and intelligence. They soon then shut up and become the power
users by the end of the teacher training days!

> 
> Linux as the main delivery platform especially thin client is a 
> financial and management no brainer. 
>  It works and saves money.  The 
> issue lies with the above and will continue to do so for a while yet.  
> Linux installs will be the exception rather than the rule for the 
> foreseeable future.
Yes, but its getting better. The lack of links between business/industry
and the various FLOSS communities and projects is a real issue. 

Business and industry aren't aware and/or don't care for the way FLOSS
communities and projects do things. They don't have the resources! They
can't see a quantifiable goal that will be reached following 'good
business practises. How does a business meet with a community. Who from
the community can speak for everyone to leverage a business case for
Company A working with Community A?
> 
> The quickest way in my opinion to change this is to provide good quality 
> "CROSS PLATFORM" education related apps.  These will need to be 
> curriculum specific in a lot of cases making a world wide suite a little 
> tricky.
Territory specific. You cannot have "world wide" other than at the most
common app selection e.g. OOo, Gimp, Scribus etc. How the way each
territory e.g. England and Wales, legally, require schools to deliver IT
is different from Scotland, US, South Africa... the rest of the world
over. This translates into different technical requirements and
different industries built around that territory. 

Take SIF, a US only standard. It is irrelevant to any other territory
than US. How many UK vendors are there marketing SIF products to UK
schools? None!

> 
> Cross platform is the key.  Take away the need for a specific platform 
> and people we go for the cheapest most stable and easy to manage system 
> (Linux thin client)
Yes cross platform, but only in home user circumstances. I do believe we
can eliminate 99.9999% of MS in a school.

To conclude I think a few things have to happen for LINUX and FLOSS to
establish as  (means to a) platform:

1. Business links - there's a multi million pound industry in the UK
that has no idea about Linux/FLOSS or its massive benefits. Put a
business case forward and business will listen and work with you.

2. Focus on territories - this requires local knowledge and possibly
resources but would improve things a million fold. Think CVS or
Subversion branches!

> 
> Soapbox going away now
Mine to :-)
> 
> -- 
> Regards
> 
> Andy Trevor
> 
> Technical Director
> Cutter Project Limited
> http://www.cutterproject.co.uk
> 
> -- 
> This message has been scanned for viruses and
> dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
> believed to be clean.
>