Detroit high school opens its desktops (NewsForge) [LWN.net]

NewsForge examines a switch to Linux and OpenOffice.org at the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy. "The cost analysis was compelling -- the Linux option could be implemented for around $21,000, more than $100,000 less than the Microsoft Windows alternative. The key to enabling the move to Linux, however, was the ability to provide an acceptable office application suite that would run on both Windows XP and Linux. It was impractical for the school to support more than one office application suite, nor was it cost-effective nor beneficial to remove Windows XP from the newer systems."

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Detroit high school opens its desktops (NewsForge)

Posted May 27, 2005 0:04 UTC (Fri) by unleashedgamers (guest, #27549) [Link] (7 responses)

I wish my school had at least 1 linux (or mac) computer.

The ones my school currently have are Win 2000 computers that are extremely spyware infected and adware infected (300+ computers) they crash frequently ( approx. 1 crash per day per computer) The only time they ever get (somewhat) fixed is 2 times a year during the biggest test.

In the English wing of the school 13 of 40 computers still boot, tell me this is not acceptable!

I have been scared from this, I'm now a *nix only style of computer user.

Travis R.

Detroit high school opens its desktops (NewsForge)

Posted May 27, 2005 3:44 UTC (Fri) by jtc (guest, #6246) [Link] (3 responses)

"I wish my school had at least 1 linux (or mac) computer. ..."

Why don't you take things into your own hands and get permission from the appropriate person to install Linux on a few of those school computers. If they're too attached to their windows installations to allow them to be replaced by Linux, you could find a cheap hard drive on ebay, install it in one of the PCs as a 2nd drive, install Linux on it with a dual-boot setup and show them how much more stable it is. Pick one of the more unstable PCs to heighten the contrast. They might be impressed enough to let you install Linux on several computers. [If it's on the network, set up a good firewall so that it doesn't get cracked - That would give a bac impression :-)]

Detroit high school opens its desktops (NewsForge)

Posted May 27, 2005 5:13 UTC (Fri) by unleashedgamers (guest, #27549) [Link] (2 responses)

Lol :-) I have tried, I have offered (and pleaded) all the options you mentioned including offering whole computers paid for completly by me (VFXWeb.com is where i would have got them)

They don't really care about the computers as long as they have them, it allows them to tell the parents that "This school is ready for the future with over 300 computers for the students to use"

Detroit high school opens its desktops (NewsForge)

Posted May 27, 2005 12:36 UTC (Fri) by huffd (guest, #10382) [Link] (1 responses)

In my situation I donated the computer to the classroom where my wife taught. Often the children would fight over using the Linux computer because it "always worked" and they said that the other one was a piece of.. [well children say the darndest things].

There was never a training issue with any of the children.

Detroit high school opens its desktops (NewsForge)

Posted May 27, 2005 15:56 UTC (Fri) by madscientist (subscriber, #16861) [Link]

> [well children say the darndest things]

Heh. If you ask either of my kids "and what do we think about Windows?" they will dutifully intone: "Windows is crap" :-)

This comes because I gave them my old system when I got a new one, that still had a dual boot Windows partition on it. They use exclusively Windows on it now (but they use FireFox/OpenOffice/etc.) because they have so many games that run under Windows (although my son is always asking to use my system so he can play Blobwars and Starfighter... I don't have a good enough graphics card for any of the GL games). Anyway, when their system breaks (which it often does), they have to stand there and listen to me rant as my fee for fixing it for them. I just don't want them to grow up accepting "crappiness" as "just the way things are".

Detroit high school opens its desktops (NewsForge)

Posted May 27, 2005 8:14 UTC (Fri) by Mithrandir (guest, #3031) [Link] (2 responses)

One word: Knoppix.

Detroit high school opens its desktops (NewsForge)

Posted May 27, 2005 18:40 UTC (Fri) by unleashedgamers (guest, #27549) [Link] (1 responses)

Well thats acctualy what I use, that and gnoppix (GUI's are all the same for me) but it runs quite slowly and is very unstable on these computers (half the disk drives have been ripped out and half of them half work.

I should post some pictures almost to show the state they are in.

Travis R.

Detroit high school opens its desktops (NewsForge)

Posted Oct 20, 2005 17:01 UTC (Thu) by Noisome (guest, #33225) [Link]

I know this is old but try DamnSmallLinux @ your school.

say nice things about detroit!

Posted May 27, 2005 19:46 UTC (Fri) by bkoz (guest, #4027) [Link]

Ahh, youth.

What I like most about this is that one of the unexpected benefits is that they could slap this software on 30 cd's and put them in the library for people to check out. People who want to use OO at home can easily do so by checking out the software.

Brilliant. They don't even need to download it.