Software in schools, again

[Evan Leibovitch]

Anthony Yarusso wrote:
> This (http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=36464) reminded
> me - whatever became of that chatter re: software in use by Ontario
> school boards?  Also, anybody have good connections to an NDP MP or
> similar that might be willing to make some noise on behalf of
> open-source in education?  (I have connections to a candidate (dept
> chair's wife), but she didn't win)
This is but one problem with having an Ubuntu group separate from the
rest of the community. There are already some efforts being made, at
least with the TDSB, to begin the slow process of changing minds. But
they're happening elsewhere. Too bad Ubuntu folks that go no further
than this forum are out of touch with what the rest of the community is
doing.

Go in pushing Ubuntu at this stage in the game and you'll get laughed
out the door. This is a lengthy matter of educating the educators, and
they have no idea why not to stick with Windows. It works "well enough"
and the province pays the cost of the software so price isn't an issue
to them. This is a fight that Apple has been losing for years despite
its best efforts; before you can even talk to bureaucrats about
distributions, you need to convince them "why not Microsoft" and that is
a VERY hard sell. Even having succeeded then, the question becomes "why
not Apple". Only AFTER they've been convinced that Linux is a credible
alternative can you even begin to talk Ubuntu -- and then you'll need to
be ready with a commercial support infrastructure capable of supporting
tens of thousands of systems.

There is already a well-known story of a Toronto high school which had a
Linux lab closed down at the request of the _educators_. There is
substantial inertia to overcome, and any assistance is welcome.

- Evan