[ubuntu-florida] who's using Edubuntu?

[Matthew L. Avizinis]

Well, folks I lost out to Apple.  But then I had to overcome a large
hurdle -- an entrenched Apple fan.

Here's the core of their reasoning:
"I must say that the computer system put together from Apple for our
needs seems to please us the most.  The technology is compatible with
the computers the children will be using in middle school - a "must" in
preparing them for the future.  It is also compatible with the array of
software we already possess.  The few schools that have used Linux that
are comparable [to our school] have not had success and no longer use
it. Reasons for not using Linux usually cited are the limited software
library and that navigating the system is too complicated for their
users.  I'm sure the Linux system's offerings will be expanded in time -
I love the concept.  However, at this time, the system and software are
limited."

On the one hand I can't fault them for going with what they know and
used in the past.  On the other, I am sorry they have to pay such a high
premium for that choice.

Personally, I don't buy it that the OS is "limited" in any way.

I'll be looking into this further.  As a software developer I might be
able to help reduce the "limited software" gap.

See you folks around....
Matthew

Matthew L. Avizinis wrote:
> Thanks for all the input -- although as this poster indicates some of
> it was off topic and I still have only one school name that might have
> installed Edubuntu (I am quite the Linux evangelist but that's not
> always enough and it seems reasonable anyhow that they would want to
> see how someone else has done).  If I get my friends at this school to
> go with this system I think I'll start an Edubuntu wiki "who's using
> it?" page to make this easier in the future.
>
> At any rate, the school's computers are at least 10yo Macs which are
> stationary, quite bulky and consume quite a bit of power.  If my
> proposal moves to the next stage (soon), I will demonstrate a live
> system for them (I've demoed a live-cd system which was a little slow
> because it was running on the cd of course).  They want to create a
> system with some mobile units and some fixed location units.  I have
> proposed the Edubuntu OS running on a server with n Devon IT Safebook,
> WYSE, or Neoware (or similar, haven't completely decided yet) clients
> and fixed units comprised of 17" or 19" LCD monitors with HP clients
> mounted on back connected by wireless (~ $400/each station).
> The whole system with a robust server setup + 35 - 50 clients should
> cost < $25,000 and be easy to maintain (I have network guy who is very
> good at his job).  We have experience with client Linux systems and it
> is not difficult, particularly Edubuntu.
> Finally, although the XO (OLPC or whatever they finally decide to call
> it) is simply not sufficient for the tasks this school wants to
> accomplish.   Not to mention they can't even decide how they want to
> market it (apparently).
> Matthew
>
> Linux Souls wrote:
>> On Mon, 2007-10-22 at 18:15 -0400, Casey Doran wrote:
>>   
>>> Now can we please return to the topic at hand? OLPC is a viable option
>>> by all means, but we should probably try to help this school avoid
>>> buying all sorts of new hardware. Edubuntu works with what they have
>>> NOW, if a little dependent on copland. 
>>>     
>>
>> Here are a couple of links that might be helpful: 
>>
>> http://www.citidc.com/doc/casestudies/CITI_AHC_OpenSourceCaseStudy.pdf
>> http://en.opensuse.org/Education
>> http://www.schoolforge.net/
>> http://www.schoolforge.org.uk/index.php/Case_Studies
>> http://k12ltsp.org/casestudy.html
>>
>> Over here not far from where I live there is a school in Rockledge
>> called St. Mary's. Their entire computer lab is running on really old
>> hardware and they are taking advantage of the LTSP (linux terminal
>> server project, which I put for the benefit of others that may be
>> reading this and are unaware of LTSP). I believe that they are using
>> either the debian educational distro, or maybe by this time using
>> edubuntu. 
>>
>> Hope some of this helps, You were right about finding specifics, it is
>> pretty difficult to narrow down case studies that pertain to your goals,
>> even though word of mouth we've all heard about schools doing it.
>>
>> Chris aka ITnet7
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>   
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