[ubuntu-uk] Help get Windows out of schools

[Rob Beard]

On 10/02/2009 12:39, Lucy wrote:
> It's saying 'primary operating system' not only operating system.
> Also, there's more than one FOSS OS (and even more UIs).
>
> By getting FOSS into schools you are getting rid of the current
> monopoly, you are telling the kids that it's okay to learn about the
> systems, that it's okay to share interesting programs with friends or
> to take a copy home to finish up some homework. You're enabling them
> to reuse old PCs. You're showing them that they can be a part of a
> global community and that they have the power and opportunity to
> collaborate with others to make things better.
>
>    
I think part of the general problem that that a lot of people think that 
sharing software is wrong as it's been drummed into them for so long.  
At least the community are slowly getting the message through, even if 
it is only to a minory of people.  I found that the Exwick Community 
Centre open day was a great place to talk to people about Free 
Software.  The visitors could see the software running, they could see 
that it's not all scary command lines (although one guy did like the 
command line as he was an ex-COBOL programmer and was used to the old 
dumb terminals) and they could take away a disc for free to try and 
home.  They were pre-pressed Ubuntu 8.04 CDs so they looked like they 
were legitimate an IIRC they said on the disc that they were free to use 
and pass on.  Slowly we were getting the message across that you don't 
have to pay mega bucks to get software, there is all this quality free 
software available that not only doesn't cost owt, it is also free to 
share (and if so, free to tinker with).  A few of the visitors were low 
income families and single parents.  One woman I talked to had a PC but 
didn't have broadband.  I got the impression that she'd like to learn 
how to do things like Word Processing and general internet and office 
tasks, even if it was just something to do but couldn't afford the high 
prices of the software (even £100 for Office 2007 isn't that cheap when 
you are on a low income and don't have a powerful enough PC to run it).  
She took an Ubuntu CD and my phone number and I also took her number and 
said that I would ask about running some OpenOffice training courses at 
the centre.

Rob