Comments on: The Case for Linux in the Classroom http://teachertechblog.com/the-case-for-linux-in-the-classroom/190/ Tips on Hardware, Software, Lessons, and General Computing Sat, 22 Nov 2008 08:26:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Martin http://teachertechblog.com/the-case-for-linux-in-the-classroom/190/#comment-2192 Martin Sat, 14 Jun 2008 10:39:14 +0000 http://teachertechblog.com/?p=190#comment-2192 You should take a look at this (written 6 years ago!): http://www.aful.org/ressources/institutions/rescon_en You should take a look at this (written 6 years ago!): http://www.aful.org/ressources/institutions/rescon_en

]]> By: docsmartz http://teachertechblog.com/the-case-for-linux-in-the-classroom/190/#comment-2191 docsmartz Sat, 14 Jun 2008 06:15:21 +0000 http://teachertechblog.com/?p=190#comment-2191 Great to hear about more teachers getting into free(dom) software. I think you have got only one of the advantages of free(dom) software: the cost! These are the points you need to be aware of... Free Software gives you the right to: USE - you can use the software however you like. You are not restricted by the vendor through EULAs for example. STUDY - you can see under the hood and look at the code that makes the program work. This means you can find bugs or malicious code or just learn how to make your own programs. Even if you don't want to study the code, at least you can rest easy knowing that there are other people who will have studied/peer reviewed the code. MODIFY - you have the right to modify the code. Fix bugs, add features, translate into other languages. Again, if you don't want to do this you can hire someone to do it or take advantage of the modifications other people make. Look at the Firefox browser and all of its massive number of extensions for example. SHARE - this is the free as in cost part. You have the right to share the code with anyone and everyone. Helping your friends and neighbors. Education and academia used to be all about these values too. Helping people, educating, peer-review, etc. These are things that free software and academia have in common. Software was originally free. Academics created it and gave it to their peers so that that they could use it in their studies. Back then it only came in (pre-compiled)code form so modifications could be made and integrated back into the original program. Teachers can take advantage of free courseware applications as shown in this article: http://www.linux.com/feature/137245 Teachers can collaborate in creating courses. There are lots of free(dom) ones you can download to get you started or you can create your own and share them with the community too. Enjoy your freedom. Great to hear about more teachers getting into free(dom) software.

I think you have got only one of the advantages of free(dom) software: the cost!

These are the points you need to be aware of…

Free Software gives you the right to:

USE - you can use the software however you like. You are not restricted by the vendor through EULAs for example.

STUDY - you can see under the hood and look at the code that makes the program work. This means you can find bugs or malicious code or just learn how to make your own programs. Even if you don’t want to study the code, at least you can rest easy knowing that there are other people who will have studied/peer reviewed the code.

MODIFY - you have the right to modify the code. Fix bugs, add features, translate into other languages. Again, if you don’t want to do this you can hire someone to do it or take advantage of the modifications other people make. Look at the Firefox browser and all of its massive number of extensions for example.

SHARE - this is the free as in cost part. You have the right to share the code with anyone and everyone. Helping your friends and neighbors.

Education and academia used to be all about these values too. Helping people, educating, peer-review, etc. These are things that free software and academia have in common. Software was originally free. Academics created it and gave it to their peers so that that they could use it in their studies. Back then it only came in (pre-compiled)code form so modifications could be made and integrated back into the original program.

Teachers can take advantage of free courseware applications as shown in this article:

http://www.linux.com/feature/137245

Teachers can collaborate in creating courses. There are lots of free(dom) ones you can download to get you started or you can create your own and share them with the community too.

Enjoy your freedom.

]]> By: Scott Walker http://teachertechblog.com/the-case-for-linux-in-the-classroom/190/#comment-2183 Scott Walker Fri, 13 Jun 2008 05:25:54 +0000 http://teachertechblog.com/?p=190#comment-2183 Much agreed, Richard. When Windows' Add/Remove starts to list a multitude of free add-ons, as does Synaptics, and then has the intuition to tell what else needs to be installed to make a certain program run correctly, my tune may change a little. It is indeed a political/commercial issue. I've noticed some stories lately about schools moving towards open-source. Maybe the tide will change with younger generations learning that there is indeed an alternative. Much agreed, Richard. When Windows’ Add/Remove starts to list a multitude of free add-ons, as does Synaptics, and then has the intuition to tell what else needs to be installed to make a certain program run correctly, my tune may change a little.
It is indeed a political/commercial issue. I’ve noticed some stories lately about schools moving towards open-source. Maybe the tide will change with younger generations learning that there is indeed an alternative.

]]> By: Richard Chapman http://teachertechblog.com/the-case-for-linux-in-the-classroom/190/#comment-2182 Richard Chapman Fri, 13 Jun 2008 04:58:57 +0000 http://teachertechblog.com/?p=190#comment-2182 Microsoft was given the keys to the Kingdom when they were allowed to make exclusive and perpetual deals with manufactures to pre-install their OS on every computer. Now a generation calls it the best operating system, not realizing their logic is based on the experience of only one operating system. Of course it's the best. Backing up that boast requires more mangled logic like the famous popularity breeds security vulnerabilities or security through obscurity as it is sometimes called. My favorite one is that the Package Managers that come with most Linux distros are more difficult to use and not as good as the Add/Remove Programs in XP. Any Linux user who used to be a Windows user, that is to say nearly every one, will laugh at such nonsense. The package management system is one of best things to come along in operating system development. Too bad it will never be implemented by Microsoft, maybe by Apple but not as well as Linux does it. It's not a technical issue but a political and commercial one. Microsoft was given the keys to the Kingdom when they were allowed to make exclusive and perpetual deals with manufactures to pre-install their OS on every computer. Now a generation calls it the best operating system, not realizing their logic is based on the experience of only one operating system. Of course it’s the best. Backing up that boast requires more mangled logic like the famous popularity breeds security vulnerabilities or security through obscurity as it is sometimes called. My favorite one is that the Package Managers that come with most Linux distros are more difficult to use and not as good as the Add/Remove Programs in XP. Any Linux user who used to be a Windows user, that is to say nearly every one, will laugh at such nonsense. The package management system is one of best things to come along in operating system development. Too bad it will never be implemented by Microsoft, maybe by Apple but not as well as Linux does it. It’s not a technical issue but a political and commercial one.

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