Need advise to start Ubuntu in Cypress Creek High School!

[SchindlerShadow]

Hello Ubuntu Community! :KS My name is Youssef Alhindi, head of the Student Linux Factor in my school (SLF), and I'm trying to release my School from the evil clutches of Micro$ofts server and desktop computing license, there is over 100 computers at this school, all running Windows XP, something like this must cost the school so much $ and the school is, complaining, and cutting corners because there is not enough $ for the school. the only computer class is ccc, which is a Microsoft office class, it kills my a little bit every time when i sign into a windows computer in there. Linux would be a fast sun and free solution, IT's here are just lazy. Well, enough about how poor my school is, on to how you ppl here in the Ubuntu forms can help, and hopefully expand SLF to you School, i need to find a way to get the school's boards attention. Tomorrow, I am starting a petition, hopefully this can be a peaceful way to do it, I really don't need blood on my hands. I can assure 20 signatures, maybe more, hopefully more, one is a teacher! lol. so can someone else give any suggestions?

thank you, and Ubuntu 4 Life.

Note: if you vote in the poll, send or post your signature so I can add it to the petition, or just let me add it myself based on your user name.

[SchindlerShadow]

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=941106

i made this tread because there is more ppl looking @ these forms then where i put it. thank you for understanding


Youssef Alhindi
Head of SLF

[Kellemora]

Hi SS

Two things, First: it said I already voted when I hadn't, unless it shows that to everyone? Naturally I voted "YES"!!!!!

Second: Wouldn't taking a poll on an Ubuntu Forum cause the voting to be just a little itty teensy bit biased, hi hi...........

FWIW: When I was graduating from skewl, they were just then bringing in the ABACUS as their latest and greatest for the lower grades. Naturally it phased out in a year or two. But not before millions of little plastic Abacii were sold.

Somebody got RICH on that deal for sure!

Fingers and Toes worked for me just fine, hi hi.......

TTUL
Gary

[talsemgeest]

Hmmm... This seems strangely one sided. I am completely for ubuntu in schools, I even went so far as to dual boot one of the school computers with ubuntu. The only problem is that if a school gets switched from windows to linux, the sysadmins then also have to learn linux, and be better at it than all of the students. And in some countries it can be a bit hard to get proper education on linux, and any education that does exist can be prohibitavely expensive.

[overdrank]

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=941106

i made this tread because there is more ppl looking @ these forms then where i put it. thank you for understanding


Youssef Alhindi
Head of SLF

Please do not make multiple threads on the same issue. Threads merged and Moved :)

[eternalnewbee]

I find that introducing a new os is like opening a new restaurant. You need time and patience to build it up. I've had so many people drooling when they see my desktop, but it takes a while before they pick up the courage (and patience) to start using Ubuntu.
Patience is a virtue...
Good luck with your project, Youssef Alhindi

[JetskiDude911]

First of all you need to do some research on how much the school is actually spending on Microsoft products. You'd be kind of surprised.

I work for a library and the state university system has a deal worked out with Microsoft. I'm able to get Vista, and Office 2007 for the cost of the media it's burned on and shipping. Not that much.

I can get Windows Server 2003 Enterprise for under $400 per server, that's not bad at all.

[talsemgeest]

My school got 400 xp licences for $15000. Hmm, I wonder what that might be better spent on...

[cardinals_fan]

I say no. Switching the servers over to CentOS would be a decent idea, but the majority of desktops should remain XP. Instead, campaign for the use of OpenOffice - it would save money compared to Microsoft Office, and would introduce students to open formats.

[smartboyathome]

It isn't ready yet for schools to adopt. The lack of many pieces of software which (my local) schools use, complete with the lack of ITs who know how to work with and fix Linux, makes it so that schools won't adopt it just yet.

[SchindlerShadow]

I find that introducing a new os is like opening a new restaurant. You need time and patience to build it up. I've had so many people drooling when they see my desktop, but it takes a while before they pick up the courage (and patience) to start using Ubuntu.
Patience is a virtue...
Good luck with your project, Youssef Alhindi
thank you,

JetskiDude911: yea ima do that 2morrow,
talsemgeest:my thoughts exactly.
cardinals_fan & smartboyathome: read this, http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/6349
overdrank: sorry.

every1 thx 4 posting and voteing, i'll start adding people 2morrow, thanks 4 ur help.

[zmjjmz]

While I think it may be a great idea, you should gather a lot more information on how your school uses computers.
Ask around, start a computer club (this helps), and most importantly, you should be able to do things like setup a network and do multiple installations and distro remasters and fixing problems and the like.
Because they will depend on you if they want to switch.

[cardinals_fan]

cardinals_fan & smartboyathome: read this, http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/6349

That doesn't convince me. My school uses a specific application for both grading and attendance information. I've yet to see an app for Linux that offers the same functionality. Also, while including some Linux machines (or dual-booting) would provide a useful intro to Linux, I believe that students should be exposed to Windows. You can say whatever you like about Microsoft's shady tactics, but Windows is the most-used OS, and schools shouldn't just wave it away.

Again, I recommend petitioning for OpenOffice vs. MS Office instead. I did this (to some extent) at my middle school - we got an old version of OpenOffice installed on every machine in two labs. This is a cost-effective measure that also supports open formats and standards.

While I think it may be a great idea, you should gather a lot more information on how your school uses computers.

+1

Your school may use Windows-specific software, and they may do things how they do for a reason. Find out more!

EDIT: I'll share something funny the somewhat strange IT guy at my school said in an email to all the staff after a server outage: "there appears to have been a blip in the Force" :)

[Vince4Amy]

Certain servers yes, desktops No way, not possible right now, too much software which runs on Windows only is required in order to offer the courses we use now.

However we use Linux Utilities such as PING (Partimage Is Not Ghost), Gparted LiveCD etc. Linux on the desktops will not be possible as Dreamweaver, Visual Studio, Photoshop, Premier etc is required. Yes would could stop using this applications but then it will no longer make the school a speaclist computing college.

[scavenger2008]

First, try to get OpenOffice ("One day everything will be OASIS, you know?"), then try Firefox ("It's faster, it's shinier, and it gets you out of trouble"), then try Blender ("Free 3D for the masses").

Then try to get Ubuntu ("Well, you've been using FOSS for some time now, aren't you?").

[Canis familiaris]

I think every school should have a mixture of Operating System Environments on the PC.
Most should have Linux, several of them should have Windows, Mac OS X should be there on few PCs too and also there should be few PCs thrown around with FreeBSD and OpenSolaris too.

[talsemgeest]

First, try to get OpenOffice ("One day everything will be OASIS, you know?"), then try Firefox ("It's faster, it's shinier, and it gets you out of trouble"), then try Blender ("Free 3D for the masses").

Then try to get Ubuntu ("Well, you've been using FOSS for some time now, aren't you?").
And throw Audacity into the mix, my school has been using that for a while now.

[billgoldberg]

Linux is ready for schools. If schools are ready for schools, that another thing.

It depends on what programs they use.

If they have specially written software that is Windows only, then linux is a no-go.

[Delvien]

It isn't ready yet for schools to adopt. The lack of many pieces of software which (my local) schools use, complete with the lack of ITs who know how to work with and fix Linux, makes it so that schools won't adopt it just yet.
I disagree. There are several public schools that have done so. Just takes the willingness to save money and adopt

[hcaleman]

Keep in mind several other things:

- cost, as mentioned earlier the school could very well be getting XP for $5/license

- general aptitude of users. Most high school students and teachers/staff could care less what OS they use. They just want to get things done quickly. They don't want to have to "learn" anything, to them the PC is a tool not a learning gadget. In general most people turn into blathering idiots around computers.

- The school isn't going to listen to you. You're a student, the teachers/admin don't care about your opinion. Especially if you try to present yourself as an expert on the matter. That's just the way it is. You are better off saying you want to try out a "project" and switch some computers to Ubuntu or Dual boot as an "experiment." See how things progress from there.

This the Orlando CCHS by the way?

[SchindlerShadow]

Keep in mind several other things:

- cost, as mentioned earlier the school could very well be getting XP for $5/license

- general aptitude of users. Most high school students and teachers/staff could care less what OS they use. They just want to get things done quickly. They don't want to have to "learn" anything, to them the PC is a tool not a learning gadget. In general most people turn into blathering idiots around computers.

- The school isn't going to listen to you. You're a student, the teachers/admin don't care about your opinion. Especially if you try to present yourself as an expert on the matter. That's just the way it is. You are better off saying you want to try out a "project" and switch some computers to Ubuntu or Dual boot as an "experiment." See how things progress from there.

This the Orlando CCHS by the way?

yes it is, and cardinals_fan look @ here, http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS9010302814.html and their is programs for teachers, i forget which, but theirs a test maker, and a grading program. and i now have 15 signatures in school, + the 1s here. 1 is a teacher and 2 more are researching what Linux is. so far so good.

Edit: read this, http://education.zdnet.com/?p=1615

[talsemgeest]

- The school isn't going to listen to you. You're a student, the teachers/admin don't care about your opinion. Especially if you try to present yourself as an expert on the matter. That's just the way it is. You are better off saying you want to try out a "project" and switch some computers to Ubuntu or Dual boot as an "experiment." See how things progress from there.
Thankfully, me and the sysadmin of my school are reasonably good friends. Plus he would prefer to switch the school computers to some form of linux, but the school wont let him...

[SchindlerShadow]

Thankfully, me and the sysadmin of my school are reasonably good friends. Plus he would prefer to switch the school computers to some form of linux, but the school wont let him...

same 4 me, but he dount want linux -.- says its to hard to use XD

[cardinals_fan]

yes it is, and cardinals_fan look @ here, http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS9010302814.html and their is programs for teachers, i forget which, but theirs a test maker, and a grading program. and i now have 15 signatures in school, + the 1s here. 1 is a teacher and 2 more are researching what Linux is. so far so good.

Edit: read this, http://education.zdnet.com/?p=1615
Once your school is, for whatever reason, forced to upgrade their current operating system, then you could petition for Linux. At that point, your school is in the position of needing to purchase new software, and alternatives should be considered. However, until then, there is no incentive for them to switch.

By the way, I think CentOS would be a better choice than Ubuntu in this scenario. It has the rock-solid stability needed to deploy in a school.

same 4 me, but he dount want linux -.- says its to hard to use XD
...which rather nails the coffin shut. If the IT people won't deal with Linux, who will?

[Vince4Amy]

The school isn't going to listen to you. You're a student, the teachers/admin don't care about your opinion. Especially if you try to present yourself as an expert on the matter. That's just the way it is. You are better off saying you want to try out a "project" and switch some computers to Ubuntu or Dual boot as an "experiment." See how things progress from there

This is not a problem for me, and we did try a Linux machine but there was no success as WINE Just was not stable enough for running the applications required. (Figure, Students always complain at the smallest of problems already, imagine if WINE was to crash applications more often then they do now, I'm not saying it will but you just cannot take that chance, tech support would be full of complaints every day since everyone here thinks that maintaining a network of 500+ computers is a really easy task.)

Firefox cannot be used as it will not work with the ISP which the school uses, why none of us know, and we cannot change it due to government regulations in this area, we'd like to but it's a no go.

OpenSource software is used on the desktop however:

OpenOffice in addition to Microsoft Office (Though Most people use MS Office, Why I don't know but the choice is there).
Audacity.
Cam Studio.


Also I agree that if this was going to be a full scale to 500+ computers project Ubuntu would not be suitable and I would recommend a more stable system such as CentOS or Red Hat.

[SchindlerShadow]

This is not a problem for me, and we did try a Linux machine but there was no success as WINE Just was not stable enough for running the applications required. (Figure, Students always complain at the smallest of problems already, imagine if WINE was to crash applications more often then they do now, I'm not saying it will but you just cannot take that chance, tech support would be full of complaints every day since everyone here thinks that maintaining a network of 500+ computers is a really easy task.)

Firefox cannot be used as it will not work with the ISP which the school uses, why none of us know, and we cannot change it due to government regulations in this area, we'd like to but it's a no go.

OpenSource software is used on the desktop however:

OpenOffice in addition to Microsoft Office (Though Most people use MS Office, Why I don't know but the choice is there).
Audacity.
Cam Studio.


Also I agree that if this was going to be a full scale to 500+ computers project Ubuntu would not be suitable and I would recommend a more stable system such as CentOS or Red Hat.

acctually, i was useing firefox from an ubuntu 8.4 live cd today, and it works 10X faster than the IE on micro$oft win XP that runs slowly, and i forgot to mention the vary reseon why i started the SLF in my school, win XP has been running extremely slow this year, on all computers, and i think that the school is going to make a stupid disition like switching to win vista, and all the new computers are certified for it, and that would REALLY **** me off! cuz not only are they going to switch their os, but to vista? even though i'm head of slf, the school really knows how to make you feel like a number. :(