Linux as a platform...

[David Trask]

dominic.webb at oedp.com writes:
>Hi Simon,
>	I think your right about strength in numbers.
>
>I ask the question as something of a temperature take on how the
>community views Edubuntu going forward. 
>
>I think there are significant areas/issues that Edubuntu does not
>address, that no FLOSS project, Linux project or (UK perhaps even
>global) vendor addresses. 
>
>I think most of these issues go to proprietary, licensing and business
>issues and to date I see no answers forthcoming other than "head in
>sand...pretend its not happening". 
>
>For example how does one address the issue of audio/video codecs?
>Without the licensing the -ugly stuff in say Gstreamer, a UK school will
>have little if any access to a lot of content they have already
>purchased.
>
>What is the answer here? License codecs, lobby governments...if so lobby
>them for what? If its licensing can collective purchasing power not work
>here?
>
>I can tell you that not having an answer/work around, in the UK, is a
>deal breaker that will keep adoption to zero/low single digits!
>
>Perhaps this is a discussion that should start under a different thread;
>nonetheless I'd still be interested to see what peoples answers are to
>my original question.

I have to disagree to some extent.  The deal breaker attitude is exactly
what it'll be if you think that way.  I've been involved with Linux in
schools here in the Northeastern US for a few years now.  What I'm
beginning to see is that widespread adoption is forcing the hand of many
vendors.  Suddenly, there are new linux clients for many programs....etc. 
It's a groundswell and it's very hard to stop once it gets going.  Schools
are bread and butter for many companies...and they now know that if they
don't provide the product then they will lose out.  Granted, there are
licensing issues...but again....those licenses can be overcome or bypassed
with time and numbers.  Many vendors are releasing their content in more
open formats.  Collective purchasing power can work wonders....it's quite
a motivator for some companies.  

Here is what has worked for us.  I am one of the founders of the Northeast
Linux Symposia which is a couple of conferences (three or four
days....hands on) that we host each summer at a couple of University
campuses here in Maine and New Hampshire.  The conference is designed for
tech directors, school IT folks, and this year we added classroom
teachers!  We've been doing NELS for 4 years now (http://www.nelinux.net).
 The beauty of that is, now there are many school districts in Maine, New
Hampshire, Massachussets, and Vermont that are running Linux in their
schools.  So....let's say that the deployment is roughly 20 - 30 thousand
desktops  (I'm guessing....I could be way off) then that's quite a
motivator for commercial entities.  Many of the tech directors like myself
have actually said to some of these companies...."Call me back when you
have a Linux version".  Know what?  It WORKS!  In fact I had a company
call me just the other day to tell me about their "new" linux compatible
product line.  

Start the groundswell.  Host a conference for teachers and tech folk in
your area.  Build on it....and before you know it....you'll reach critical
mass....then the companies, governments....etc...will have to listen.  :-)

David N. Trask
Technology Teacher/Director
Vassalboro Community School
dtrask at vcsvikings.org
(207)923-3100