[Linux-aus] Fwd: [LACTTE] Notes for Council Meeting 2010/02/03

[Silvia Pfeiffer]

On Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 12:43 PM, Brenda Aynsley <bpa at iss.net.au> wrote:
> Terry Dawson wrote:
>> Silvia Pfeiffer wrote:
>>
>>>> I think your idea is a very interesting one. It sounds simple enough.
>>>> What would such a letter offer though? Would we not somehow need to back
>>>> it up with some support option?
>>>>
>>> I think we could do something like this talking about e.g. Edubuntu
>>> * how it is a modern and free OS,
>>> * how it comes with a lot of educations software including blah and blah,
>>> * how it runs on every computer,
>>> * maybe even how it can be run on a win machine to test it out,
>>> * where to download or order DVDs from,
>>> * online forum where to get help,
>>> * encourage students to try out open source software since it allows
>>> more indepth learning of computer capabilities
>>> * encourage advertising in newsletter etc
>>
>> Yes, perhaps you're right. The "Live CD" option does make it attractive
>> from a risk management and support perspective.
>
> It's my experience that unless a need exists that teachers have for
> software at a price they're willing to pay for themselves and their
> students, they are not going to jump at this.

This isn't about the teachers. It's about the students. If a student
can get something for free to play with on his computer, he/she may
well be curious. This is what we can build upon. We need to somehow
manage the fear of the parents that this may be something bad for the
kid or the computer, but that's about how to write a good flyer. One
could, for example, mention that it is the system most in use at
universities in IT research and that it is good for inquisitive minds.

I'm sure we'd get some success and one student can start a whole new
movement if there is success. I guess it would be very important for
that one student to know where to find support if he/she needs to.
Maybe we could set up a facebook account or something where they can
come in and then be led to the right place if needed. Just thinking
out loud here.

Cheers,
Silvia.