Convincing a school district to migrate from OS X to Ubuntu or Edubuntu

[Christopher Chan]

CLIFFORD ILKAY wrote:
> Christopher Chan wrote:
>> Oops...sorry, got mixed up. But thanks for blowing away Clifford's TCO 
>> argument of Linux vs Windows on the training side of things anyway.
> 
> That's not the argument I had made. A change from any incumbent
> operating system to another one has some costs associated with training
> and potential loss of productivity during the transition period, even if
> the incumbent is Windows XP and the slated replacement, Windows Vista.
> That's not a value judgement on any operating system. It's just a
> statement of fact and it must be factored into the decision. To do
> otherwise demonstrates either naïvete or duplicity to those whom one
> wishes to convince of the merits of one's arguments in favour of Linux.
> I think it is possible to sell Linux even when one factors in the direct
> and indirect training costs so I see no reason why anyone has to pretend
> that Linux has some kind of powerful magic that obviates the need for
> training.
> 

Clifford was making the statement that Linux training would kill any 
cost benefits that comes from its lack of license costs. You pointed out 
that even if things stay the same, that is, Windows is kept, there are 
still training costs with a Windows environment. That brings things more 
or less back to 'Linux - no license costs vs M$ - you better pay up + 
protection racket costs.'

TCO better for Windows my foot.