Not much information is shown number of schools in Malaysia using Linux or OSS. Maybe there is, but there is not much coverage about this.
Perhaps this is the biggest problem promoting Linux/OSS to the public : nobody knows Linux is serving you at your backyard.
Microsoft capture most of the publicity. Most of the people know "windows" and "Microsoft" better than Linux. Try to ask 10 teacher know about computer operating system, 9 of them definitely say they know windows (the last one maybe tell you Mac or something else).
So when talk about computer in Education, Windows is their first though. And what really disturb me, the decision maker don't even ask a the computer expert, find the real facts.
As non-profit organisation, school much make sure every cents allocate wisely spend. But it is interesting when come to computer - they straight away make their own consumption. They seldom ask for RFP(request for proposal), and directly draw out their need : Win98, MS office, MS Encarta,photopaint, etc.
Amazing! And even more fascinate me is that, they tell you that the student will equip with this kinda computer knowledge when they leave school. They talk about using school computer to offer course to compete with professional training center.
This idea is not wise, for a professional who involve in educational field for quite some time. Though equip student with computer is pratical, but teaching commercial software is not!
When a student leave the secondary school, the windows 95/98 knowledge, Office suite knowledge are mostly impractical to the business world. Remember, there is different OS deploy around us, Dos, windows 3.11, win95, winNT, OS/2, etc. Chances to use the same OS, same application is thin. For application, when student learn Office 97, the company might use Office 4.5, Office 95, and Word star and word perfect still in use for some company.
User friendly will reduce cost. 100% impratical for school. No matter how cheap Microsoft charge for education package, they school still have to pay huge sum of licensing.
Each win98 will cost minimum RM300, and office will cost RM250. First MS Office license installation CD copy will cost RM650. Need virus scanner? Add RM90. License cost per PC will be RM640. For 10 PC, this will cost RM6,800(remember the 1st MS office CD cost RM650)
Need network, file sharing, Web server? Add one NT server, RM3,000. You need to pay 10 connection lincense connect to NT, RM40 each = RM400. Total = RM3,000+RM400 = RM3,400
So with a networked School computer lab, with 10PCs and 1 server, the license will be RM10,200. Hardware and network equipment/cabling not included.
For 20 PCs, license cost will jump to RM17,400.
How much Linux cost? Using Redhat 5.2 official box with Star office education pack, it only cost the school RM1450(Redhat RM250+ StarOffice school unlimited edition RM1200)
The different? RM17,400 - RM1,200 = Save RM16,200.
Teach programming? Great, MS Visual studio for education = RM700 each. Now you add another RM14,000, total price tag will be RM31,400, vs linux RM1200.
Windows is easy to administrate. 100% wrong. Yes, windows interface are great, but that doesn't mean administrate windows is easier. Windows 95/98 does not have any security, there is no password to restrict the user to use the PC. How do you know the PC is being by which user? Who is spreading the virus? Who is deleteting files in the PC?
For Linux, the administrator can set password for each PC. Restrict the user for individual PC. They can remote administrate the PC using telnet, set the disk quota, log the user activity, etc.
Need security to control the user? Get Frotres 101, RM3600. Now you must pay RM36,000.
Teaching student with application without them learning computer literacy, is a waste. Learning ONE application will restrict their talents.
Imagine this, one student is learn how to use abacus, another learn to use calculator, which person mathematics skill is better? Providing both have same IQ.
Teaching basic computer knowledge like teach the student basic maths. When you know the basic concept, you have the flexibility to use any tools. With basic skill, a student can use any editor to create document. Without basic knowledge, when there is no MS office, the student can't do anything even there is plenties of editor in windows - wordpad,notepad,edit.
Can you maintain the trends? For commercial application? Not without an upgrade. Upgrade need money.
There is more I can list here, but I leave it for other people to state it.
Apply commercial application is not pratical at all for lower education. It will kill the childrens talents by restrict them with commercial tools.
Education is social. OSS trends are build by social, run by social, and suite for social.
So far, no education workers(head master,teacher, education department) notice about OSS. Even in the Smart school request for proposal, NONE of the Proposal talk about OSS. Most with concept to promote multimillions RM gadgets for education. Nobody talk about social technology such as Linux.
That is long way to go to educate the Malaysia education worker about the social technology - LINUX and OSS. Mexico and French are ahead of us, India, Thailand probably the next. MSC will not thrive if our school not adopting Linux/OSS concept.
Any suggestion?
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See the original message at http://www.egroups.com/list/linux-edu/?start=1
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