Re: [ubuntu-uk] Ubuntu - The Next Generation
Rohan Omard wrote: > Trawling through my usual read of the technology pages I came across this > article on the BBC Technology page, entitled "Schools warned off Microsoft > deal". > You can read the details here: > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7063716.stm > and I would also recommend that you read more about the history of the issue > here: > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4558171.stm > > Now it seems to me, that with more and more overseas educational > establishments going the open source route to great effect, that we should > concentrate our efforts a > little more closer to home. Ubuntu and and more pertinently its derivative > Edubuntu, > have now evolved to a stage where it is a more than viable alternative to the > M$ option. More over, if linux open source is to continue to grow in the > mainstream user groups, the we have to start cultivating the next generation > of users, programmers and enthusiasts now. > > How many of us have children ( I have 12, 7 still at home) that use > computers daily for various things from instant messaging to homework (in > that order!) > Its time that the snazzy looking desktop that Daddy (or Mom) is using gets > promoted more amoungst our kids and their mates. After all its free and fast > and looks good. > The more that our kids go to school with Ubuntu (or Edubuntu) on their lips > and open source as opposed to the usual, on their minds; will only help to > convince the powers that be in education that perhaps, it would make more > educational and economic sense to switch to open source for their educational > ICT needs. > The support network is already in place and I am sure would cost much less > than > the constant licensing fees payable to you know who. > The is also a much more important aspect to kids using open source in schools > and it is this. Ubuntu and most of the other desktop aspiring distros are > still works in progress though Ubuntu, of them all is getting mighty close to > what the user wants to see working "out of the box" Those young, intellingent > (for the most part) and inquiring minds could only benefit from using an OS > where sometimes a little thinking, reading and exploration is needed, as > opposed to using one that is presented to them as a fait accompli (though in > the case of hasta la vista even this is not true!). Also, given the > innovative nature of children, there could be a lot to be gained from the > insight of those who have not had the long history of using the "provided > system" warts and all and have not developed the cynicism that a lot of us > older heads have. So why not show off our spinning, working, super fast > desktops to our kids more, give a few live cd's to our kids to give to their > mates (or > teachers), install edubuntu on our computers at home and show them how all > of the wonderful stuff in there comes as standard and is free, to use, change > (hopefully for the better) as they please. > Out of the mouths of babes > > What say you brethren... yes yes. Convert family junk into family goldust! Copy of my recent comment on the Marketing list: = I have just this evening finished and delivered a PII 266Mhz (128MB ram) 4GB hd crt, cheap speakers, machine for a friends 2 year old child. Loaded with a lot of edubuntu (7.10) and community games. The child user will be a non sudo user. If you could see this child climbing up onto a full height chair unaided, and energetically using mouse and keyboard with happy energy - mostly random - and the fascination achieved - it is a picture. Now the child has a perfectly usable kids games machine, which was otherwise only junk! The mother is delighted that her own family laptop is now less of an attraction for the toddler, and not least because the old PC she used years ago on dialup is now actually useful again as a bonus courtesy of Ubuntu. It happens to be the first linux machine in the household - which uses windows (and a MAC) professionally. Watch this space. = -- alan cocks Kubuntu user#10391 -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
Re: [ubuntu-uk] Ubuntu - The Next Generation
Hi all, On Sat, 2007-10-27 at 01:08 +0100, Rohan Omard wrote: > How many of us have children ( I have 12, 7 still at home) that use > computers daily for various things from instant messaging to homework > (in that order!) I've noticed that the kids don't seem to care if it's Windows or Ubuntu, as long as it's got Firefox and can play flash games and get onto the sites that their school promotes. > Its time that the snazzy looking desktop that Daddy (or Mom) is using > gets promoted more amoungst our kids and their mates. After all its > free and fast and looks good. Yes, I showed my 10 year old son the cube and all the eye candy. He looked at it then said - "can I go on the Internet now?" I do however wish that education would implement more OSS solutions, the schools in our area's IT managers are teachers with an interest in computers. They know how to work Windows and that's it. Unless we can get them to see the inherent benefits, then they aren't going to invest the time it would take to convert. > > __ Cheers, Dougie -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
Re: [ubuntu-uk] Ubuntu - The Next Generation
On Sat, 2007-10-27 at 01:08 +0100, Rohan Omard wrote: > What say you brethren... My kids have had their own computers for well over a year now, exclusively running Ubuntu of course! -- Dave Murphy - http://www.schwuk.com Twitter me: http://twitter.com/schwuk signature.asc Description: This is a digitally signed message part -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
[ubuntu-uk] Ubuntu - The Next Generation
Trawling through my usual read of the technology pages I came across this article on the BBC Technology page, entitled "Schools warned off Microsoft deal". You can read the details here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7063716.stm and I would also recommend that you read more about the history of the issue here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4558171.stm Now it seems to me, that with more and more overseas educational establishments going the open source route to great effect, that we should concentrate our efforts a little more closer to home. Ubuntu and and more pertinently its derivative Edubuntu, have now evolved to a stage where it is a more than viable alternative to the M$ option. More over, if linux open source is to continue to grow in the mainstream user groups, the we have to start cultivating the next generation of users, programmers and enthusiasts now. How many of us have children ( I have 12, 7 still at home) that use computers daily for various things from instant messaging to homework (in that order!) Its time that the snazzy looking desktop that Daddy (or Mom) is using gets promoted more amoungst our kids and their mates. After all its free and fast and looks good. The more that our kids go to school with Ubuntu (or Edubuntu) on their lips and open source as opposed to the usual, on their minds; will only help to convince the powers that be in education that perhaps, it would make more educational and economic sense to switch to open source for their educational ICT needs. The support network is already in place and I am sure would cost much less than the constant licensing fees payable to you know who. The is also a much more important aspect to kids using open source in schools and it is this. Ubuntu and most of the other desktop aspiring distros are still works in progress though Ubuntu, of them all is getting mighty close to what the user wants to see working "out of the box" Those young, intellingent (for the most part) and inquiring minds could only benefit from using an OS where sometimes a little thinking, reading and exploration is needed, as opposed to using one that is presented to them as a fait accompli (though in the case of hasta la vista even this is not true!). Also, given the innovative nature of children, there could be a lot to be gained from the insight of those who have not had the long history of using the "provided system" warts and all and have not developed the cynicism that a lot of us older heads have. So why not show off our spinning, working, super fast desktops to our kids more, give a few live cd's to our kids to give to their mates (or teachers), install edubuntu on our computers at home and show them how all of the wonderful stuff in there comes as standard and is free, to use, change (hopefully for the better) as they please. Out of the mouths of babes What say you brethren... n3m3sis - For ideas on reducing your carbon footprint visit Yahoo! For Good this month.-- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
