Re: [PLUG] Community Service Project

["Arthur S. Alexion" <arthur@alexion.com>]

Sandy Basickes wrote:

> dear People:
>    I do not see the big advantage of linux over win 98.
>    if the computers are set up, the children can use them.
>    
>    they will get a feel for a computer 
>     the teacher will have to teach them. 
>    Most people are familiar with windows. They do not know linux.
>  
Please allow my 2 cents from the perspectiveof a husband of a public 
school teacher.  Jon's goal is to provide these computers fre of charge 
to students in the impoverished Chester school district.  I see three 
issues.

  1. cost of use, i.e. application and utility software for the
     recipient families
  2. value of up-to-date Linux vs. almost orphaned Win 98 to the students
  3. teaching resources for Linux vs. Windows 98.

1. If these families can't afford a computer, they aren't going to be 
able to afford a legal copy of MS Office.  The retail price of Office XP 
(non-upgrade) is more than the cost of an inexpensive new computer.  The 
older computers being provided could have trouble running Office XP.  
Leaving aside the net-savvy resources available to those on this list, 
where are these kids going to find a legal copy of Office 97 or 2000 
(even if they could afford it)?

2. This has been better addressed by others in this treat, and is 
probably the most debatable point.

3. Public school teachers generally (there are always exceptions) fall 
into the following categories, in my experience.

   * Older teachers with little computer knowlege, and a deep fear of
     exposing that ignorance.  In their classes, there is always an
     excuse for avoiding computers.
   * The fad followers.  Until recently they only knew older Apple
     systems.  They have learned MS Office (barely),  and think MS
     Powerpoint is the answer to every teaching-with-technology question.
   * Younger teachers who grew up with computers and can adapt.

The first two groups are hopeless, no matter what they are given.  The 
third group will adapt to their resources.  My wife teaches at one of 
the older elementary schools of one of the more prestigious, afluent 
districts.  Her class room came equiped with 3 late-80s to early 90s 
Apples.  At least one is a IIe; I don't know if any are Macs.  The 
newest computer in the classroom is the Gateway Colorbook 486-50 that I 
gave her to use for her own word processing needs.  Why start with Win 
98 if this is at all typical of an upgrade path?

In short, there are very few teachers really equiped to teach Windows, 
and those that are could learn to teach Linux, if that is what they 
have.  Anything the students learn today will be obsolete by the time 
they are looking for jobs, unless what they learn are core computer 
concepts that don't change and provide the basis for self-learning 
whatever their future employer needs them to know. Last, I think the 
price of software is an important factor.

One last point.  Someone mentioned Linux games vs. windows games.  I 
practice criminal law and have been in more than a few homes in North 
Philadelphia and similar neighborhoods.  While I have seen only a few 
PCs, I see a Playstation or Nintendo in more than half of the homes I 
have visited.  I don't think game availability should be a consideration 
for this project.


--

_______________________________
Art Alexion
Arthur S. Alexion LLC
mailto:arthur@alexion.com
http://www.alexion.com


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