[ubuntu-uk] Ubuntu beginners course in North Tyneside

[David Jones]

On 05/06/2012 06:26 PM, John Bottomley wrote:
> Hi reading your comments on introducing Ubuntu I thought you might be 
> interested in our experiences of Ubuntu as a training medium.
>
> We have been running a project in South Cheshire for 4 years.
>
> The aim of the project is to support local communities by improving 
> access to IT. We run a range of activities including 'drop in help 
> sessions, loan of recycled pcs and free internet access at both local 
> and neighbourhood levels.
>
> Central to our activities is use of Ubuntu, we have about 250 Pcs on 
> loan all of which are Ubuntu based. Many of our loan PCs are used by 
> school children and FE/HE students for their home studies.
>
> All our workshop PCs/Laptops (about 25) are Ubuntu based.
>
> We expect to see about 500 people per month in our workshops held at 
> community centres and rural village halls.
>
> So we think we must have over 1000 people in the area regularly using 
> Ubuntu from version 8.04 onward
>
> We adopted Unity at 11.10 - customers liked it - trainers liked it.
>
> We are currently deploying 12.04 - only comment we are getting is 
> 'this is quicker'.
>
> When we were designing the project we decided that Ubuntu was the OS 
> of choice and that we would centre all project activity on this software.
>
> Our opinion is that we now live in a world where Apple, Android, 
> Google plus about 4 versions of Windows are in common circulation at 
> any time; therefore users often use 2 or more different operating 
> systems with phones tablets and PCs in common use. Users therefore 
> need to have a generic understanding and transferable skills rather 
> than the ability to use just one software.
>
> As an organisation with training as on of our primary functions we can 
> definitely confirm the customer willingness to use Ubuntu as their 
> primary learning medium
>
> As a voluntary group we are very cost conscious and we are certain 
> that without Ubuntu this project would not have been able to develop 
> in the way it has.
> Obviously licensing costs has been a factor in this but the savings 
> through minimal repair time and no virus problems have been vital. 
> Congratulations to the 12.04 team our upgrading to less than 2 hours 
> for 25 machines - best yet
>
> Thanks
>
> John Bottomley
>
Hi John,

Wherabouts in South Cheshire are you based or do you have a website I 
can have a look at?

I can't be far from you (Runcorn) and may get chance to come down for a 
visit at some point.

Dave Jones