[NTLUG:Discuss] Help with schools

[Chris Cox]

On 02/12/2011 08:23 PM, Steve Baker wrote:
> On 02/12/2011 07:49 PM, Chris Cox wrote:
>> So.. why choose FOSS?  DO NOT ... NOT!!... for the price... because, closed
>> source companies KNOW FOSS and know how to discount to get around that issue...
>> in fact, so well, that it's a NO BRAINER to them... and they win at least 99% of
>> the time in "price" issues (rarely does price matter to them).
>>
>>   
> I beg to differ.
> 
> The cost issue is not the cost to the school...it's the cost to the
> students.
> 
> Even if the school is awash with money and cost is absolutely no issue -
> the problem is that students need to be able to practice their skills on
> their own computers at home.   Certainly the school could merely
> threaten to switch to OpenOffice - and Microsoft will indeed find a way
> to make Office come out for $0.   But the students can't do that.  
> They'll have to pay significant $$$ if they want Office at home.

Hard to justify not paying <$100 for 3 computers when most "students" have a
cell phone.  So... I'm going to disagree on the cost basis.  NOW if we're
talking about students so poor that mommy and daddy don't even have a cell
phone, much less an uber smartphone...then ok... but I think we're talking about
only a few districts, and not too many that are around here.

Every student I see has a cell phone... MOST have a GOOD phone... which means
most have at least a Texting plan... which means that MOST people are actually
quite rich... etc...etc..etc...  I've met VERY few "poor" students that did not
have a cell phone.  A cell phone is like buying a copy of Office every month (btw).


> 
> If the school adopts OpenOffice, they can give all of their students
> instructions on how to download and install it on whatever computer they
> have at home.   They all have the exact same version that they're using
> at school - everything "just works" no matter whether they have WinXP or
> Vista or Win7 (or Mac or Linux or some low-end netbook).    Trying to
> get them to submit work electronically when there is a mishmash of old
> and new versions - and teaching them the Vista version at school when at
> home they have some "home edition" on XP at home just isn't easy on
> either the kids or the teachers.
> 
> With free software - there is no reason why everyone can't do their
> homework.

But I'll tell you from experience.  If the DEAL is the PRICE.. YOU WILL LOSE
EVERY TIME in the school districts. Sad, but true.  Home use??  Could be a
different story, as I already mentioned... but since we live in a debt ridden
world, my guess is that most families have upside priorities... and even so,
they will still buy Windows every time over Linux... even if they incur more debt.

I still think the best approach is to note the sink hole of add on costs (which
could be minimal to none for most) and the best argument comes from the
flexibility and LEARNING from choosing FOSS.

If I can borrow a phrase... FOSS leads to a "Smarter Planet".


> 
> I have a kid in college - they are learning 3D art.  The software of
> choice is Maya...an excellent package...which, sadly, costs many
> hundreds of bucks in the "student edition" and thousands of bucks in the
> full version.   As a result, very few of the kids can play around with
> the software at home - and they don't get anything like the practice
> they need.   Switching them to using Blender (and GIMP instead of
> Photoshop, etc, etc) would save parents a small fortune...even if the
> college doesn't care how much they spend or what percentage of their
> souls they have to hand over to get a good deal from the marketting guys.
> 

With higher end packages like the Adobe suite of tools, Maya, AutoCAD, etc...
definitely a HUGE issue.  And, THERE is a possibility that schools could benefit
from FOSS on price... but, higher learning institutions usually find a way to
cost justify the high end tools (again, they get a huge discount, and students
get a huge discount as well) and they want to use those tools because they are
"preparing them for the real world".

I don't like this problem.

You see, as a Maya user I'll make TWICE the money as a Blender user makes.  I
definitely welcome a solution to this problem.

Better plan.... start businesses that use FOSS tools... especially if you make
MONEY from the use of FOSS tools.  Develop and improve FOSS tools... turn FOSS
into THE CHOICE that is preferred.

Americans in general are filthy rich.  They do NOT give to charity as a whole.
Remember the middle class goes up to $250K a YEAR!!! (ouch)  It's REALLY hard to
sell the "free" (as in money) aspect of FOSS.  However, "free" as in "freedom"
still makes good sense... it's just that people sell their "freedom" daily
(insert favorite tech fad of the day here... and yes, that includes stepping on
some of your toes).

> I would also argue that if done widely enough and over enough time - it
> would help businesses in that district.   If kids coming out of the
> education system have only learned closed-source software - then there
> is pressure on those businesses to buy the software that the schools are
> teaching.   Teaching kids OSS tools would allow businesses to save money
> too.
> 
> So cost *IS* an issue...although it's certainly not the only issue.

If it's an issue... I want to see it.  I do NOT see this in America today.  But
definitely an issue in other countries (though becoming less and less of an
issue even there).

All the same, there are going to be situations where the "free" (money) is
appealing... even in America... just saying, not in general.

So... to me anyhow... use FOSS because it makes YOU smarter.... and you can't
put a price on that.