[Lias] Re: A Linux for Students project idea

[Andrew Dorrell,L4-008,9805-2224]

On Friday 17 March 2006 7:46 am, Andrew Donnellan wrote:
> I'm already on the Allies and LIAS lists, and unfortunately they seem
> to be quite dead. Linux-aus seems to be the only moderately active
> public list.

Yes... LIAS used to be quite active but (I'm glad to say) the education 
department now delivers a lot more.... and technologies have matured.  
Much of what was once only possible using linux can now be purchased off 
the shelf (often products that have embedded linux).

When I started setting up linux in schools you could not go out and buy 
network HDDs off the shelf, now you can; the school only had a single poor 
modem connecting it to the internet with no proxy, connectivity is now 
much improved etc.  Computers in the classrooms are remarkably up-to-date 
and are regularly upgraded.  And many staff have picked up the ball - 
which is great.

I for one don't do much linux in the school any more because the have now 
acquired a nice Xserve which is easily managable by staff.  And the 
concepts that were initially introduced using linux have been picked up.  
They have developed their own process for creating new accounts for all 
new students etc.  And great open-source apps like firefox, gimp and 
openoffice don't need linux... 

Any schools that teach programming or web development might still find that 
linux provides unique benefits... any other thoughts?  I am a little sorry 
that there's not much activity these days.  But at least, in my case, its 
for happy reasons.

Still a happy linux user, 
-- 
Andrew Dorrell