Skolelinux is an ambitious project that aims to provide schools with a flexible and low-cost IT solution based on Linux and KDE. Waldo Bastian interviewed them to learn more about it and the role that KDE plays in it. In the meantime, the second part of “a Computer Lab with No Windows” was posted.
Linux at Schools
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Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
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I read a story last year about a school with a zero-dollar technology budget. The basic story as I recall:
One teacher took it upon himself to learn Linux, install Linux on a room-full of old computers, and keep everything running. It worked as long as he spent his own time and money on the machines. When he left, no one else was willing/able to take over, the school obviously couldn’t afford to hire anyone, and the computers eventually were piled back in the closet.
Because Skolelinux was developed particularly for educational institutions and has at least some organizational support behind it, maybe it will have better luck. Every kid that wants to should have access to computers in school, but many schools simply can’t afford the hardware and support.
-Bob
Miguel has more info about Linux in schools in Spain here:
http://primates.ximian.com/~miguel/archive/2004/Feb-19.html
This is a very cool idea, I’m impressed it was implemented. I wish my school had done this with the exact same machines, instead of buying 2GHz P4’s and loading Win98 on them.
Here’s the article I described above; I mostly remembered it correctly. Scroll down to the Case Study:
http://www.techlearning.com/db_area/archives/TL/2003/03/update.html
It’s a good example of the hurdles faced by introducing Linux, or technology in general, into public schools. Althoug dated, the other article on the page lists some other school-oriented Linux distros.
Best Wishes,
Bob
It is very good experiment. Just a very little correction to the following statement:
<quote>It takes about five seconds to load Writer, Calc or Impress. In order to have the same performance in a Microsoft environment, each workstation would need, at minimum, a 2.0GHz CPU, 512 MB of RAM and a SATA drive.</quote>
Well, on my P-III 700MHz, 256 Mb RAM, IDE drive (5400 RPM), Windows XP: it takes 4-5 seconds to open MS Word XP.
It is hard to find anything less than P-IV 2.0 these days, and it would cost you less than $400 a box (w/o monitor).
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A guy did a great experiment, and it would be very interesting to follow its development. Everyone and his dog can install Linux on desktop, but he did what Sun would like us all to do.
Still, when comparing price and efforts involved we should compare them precisely, because school and religion must be separated, even Holy OS religion does not qualify to infulence schools: finances definitely do.
Good luck to him with his Linux class.