View Full Version : Arguments in favor of linux on campus
sportscrazed2
May 3rd, 2011, 06:58 PM
I am writing a mock proposal over why linux should be used on computers on campus. It has to be 5 pages single spaced. I already have 3 but am dead out of arguments. I've already used the speed, security, and price arguments and listed pros and cons of distros that are most popular. Can anyone think of any other good arguments?
Ctrl-Alt-F1
May 3rd, 2011, 07:04 PM
Not sure if this helps, but at one my universities they dual booted Linux and Windows. They made us take a basic introductory course to Linux and then we could choose to develop our skills in that area if we chose. I noticed that most of the computer science students worked almost exclusively on Linux but that might have been because Python was really big at that school.
Anyway, the reason I know anything about Linux, is because it was taught in that simple introductory class several years ago. Had I not been introduced to it in school I probably wouldn't have been introduced to it ever, or only after a job required me to have Linux skills. This way, I feel I am more aware of jobs that I wouldn't be aware of if I didn't use Linux.
leviathan8
May 3rd, 2011, 07:08 PM
Just a few ideas:
lots and lots of distro's - freedom of choice
forget about viruses
pleasant and united community
free as in freedom
ability to customize everything to your liking
update all your software with a single click
ability to do one task in a hundred of ways
free software - so you don't have to get it illegally
easy installation of new software
next generation of desktops
choose how your desktop looks like (change de's)
no back doors
unlimited and free support
workspaces
clean and tidy menus
it's alive!!! (let your old computer have a second life)
no need for restarting all the time
don't wait years for bugs to be solved - track them and report them
localization
many eye candy gadgets
and more importantly learn how your computer works
sportscrazed2
May 3rd, 2011, 07:19 PM
Just a few ideas:
lots and lots of distro's - freedom of choice
forget about viruses
pleasant and united community
free as in freedom
ability to customize everything to your liking
update all your software with a single click
ability to do one task in a hundred of ways
free software - so you don't have to get it illegally
easy installation of new software
next generation of desktops
choose how your desktop looks like (change de's)
no back doors
unlimited and free support
workspaces
clean and tidy menus
it's alive!!! (let your old computer have a second life)
no need for restarting all the time
don't wait years for bugs to be solved - track them and report them
localization
many eye candy gadgets
and more importantly learn how your computer works
sounds like a few i haven't touched on yet. but the main reason i thought of this is because the computers are slow and new one are expensive so eye candy isn't a priority. also its a university so i'm pushing red hat or suse for support purposes. if they think they have corporate support they are more likely to accept proposal
aG93IGRvIGkgdWJ1bnR1Pw==
May 3rd, 2011, 07:21 PM
Consider the fact that GNU/Linux and other Free UNIX-like OSes are used by the majority of academic and research institutes in the world. If you're studying to become a member of the academia, you will need it.
sportscrazed2
May 3rd, 2011, 07:24 PM
did not know that. could be an argument i could use.
wizard10000
May 3rd, 2011, 10:35 PM
Careful with the cost argument, though. In corporate America hardware and software combined normally only make up about 15% of an IT budget - the rest of it is personnel resources. The number is considerably lower in an academic institution.
What kills you isn't the cost of sustainment, where you can save let's say 7% a year, it's the cost of migration as application development and end-user technical support costs will spike, as users *will* call the helpdesk more often for at least the first year. Your security, application development and software distribution models will have to change as well, not to mention the cost of reimaging a whole pile of machines :)
Although over ten years you may realize a cost savings, over 3-5 years the cost of migration will eat up any savings - and then some.
I've done cost benefit analyses for the organization where I work (3,300 users) and its parent organization (32,000 users) and what puts the bean counters off is the sticker shock of the cost of a Linux migration. You'd make the money back but it'd take years - and Microsoft knows this :(
edit: This study shows software at 13%. I'd believe that number before I'd believe mine, but again, academia gets a pretty steep discount on software.
http://mobile.cioinsight.com/c/a/Research/Exclusive-Research-Enterprise-Security-Spending-Trends-730050/
cheers -
wizard10000
May 3rd, 2011, 10:53 PM
Replying to my own post, I thought I'd share some hard financial information.
We have an enterprise five-year contract with Microsoft. Our Desktop Pro licensing (current desktop OS, current version of MS Office Enterprise and Exchange and Windows Server client access licenses) runs us ~$1,200 per user over five years. We true up with MS every year - and if we add licenses the price goes down over the length of the contract. For example, adding a license in year 2 of the contract would only cost ~$1,000 instead of $1,200 and adding a license in the last year of the contract may only cost a couple hundred bucks.
So - for federal enterprise licensing (30,000+ users) basic office automation (OS, Office, email and server CALs) = $240 per year per user.
You might check me on this next fact because my information's about eight years old, but average cost per call for a helpdesk that size is about $25 and a deskside visit is about twice that.
samalex
May 3rd, 2011, 10:56 PM
Generally I give these are Pro's for Linux:
- Your computer won't get slower and slower over time thanks to Windows bitrot
- Your computer will last MUCH longer thanks to Linux not needing as many resources as Windows
- Viruses, though they exist on Linux, are so few and far between it's nothing to be concerned about and no need for a Virus Scanner watching over your every move and eating-up background resources
- TONS and TONS of Free, Legal Software!
Just over Easter holiday my brother-in-law was complaining about their Windows Vista box running slow, and this is on a 2Ghz dual core system with like 4 gigs of Ram so it should run decent. I demoed him Ubuntu 10.04 giving him the pointers above and he was pretty much sold. I haven't heard back from him on when he'd like me to pick-up his computer.
Austin25
May 4th, 2011, 12:07 AM
Simple: School is for learning. Everyone already knows how to use Windows by now, I'm sure, so by continuing to use it they do not learn. OS independance is an advantage in academia and the business world.
Legendary_Bibo
May 4th, 2011, 12:21 AM
It's used on the bigger corporation's servers for it's security such as Google, Red Hat, Sony, etc.
babybean
May 4th, 2011, 01:10 AM
You may already have covered this, but it could be nice to note that by using free (as in money) programs, it would encourage the use of them to the students. Reducing piracy and financial strain to students around and on campus.
pookiebear
May 4th, 2011, 02:52 AM
linux: giving students a mac without the price tag of the apple.
Exodist
May 4th, 2011, 04:35 AM
#1 Reason:
Over 900 of the top 1000 web companies world wide run LINUX.
You cant get a top job if you dont have top training.
Does this mean every PC on campus should run Linux. No.
Most schools get discounted or free licenses on M$ products that are used often in most office situations through MSDNAA. Including free license for Windows7.
Now any classes that teach Web Server should dual boot or use a VM to run both Win and Lin. Also any that teach PHP, Apache, or any other server side scripting should run Linux or at least dual boot.
Big reason many dont currently, is most instructors were brought up during the MSDOS age and got sucked into Windows trying to keep up with technology and just have not had the time to learn Linux. For this reason I have the strong possibility of teaching Linux at my current college after graduating when I get my CompTIA Linux+ certification.
KingYaba
May 4th, 2011, 04:55 AM
linux: giving students a mac without the price tag of the apple.
And the good thing is, if you're sick of the dock and universal toolbar you can simply change it and life is good.
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