Yes, HOSEF is a little conservative. Please understand that HOSEF is made up of volunteers that give up their time on Saturdays and Monday nights to work on equipment that is less then new. Challenged to repair, fix and patch pre-owned equipment, find out if this equipment will run reliably, load a Linux OS and basic applications, mate and test peripherals to have a complete system that'll do what it's intended to do. Then load this equipment in their private vehicles and deliver them to locations where it'll serve it's purpose best. The HOSEF volunteers do not get paid, or ask for reimbursements. They don't get fed or anything in return, except for the satisfaction that they may have done some good for the "community". Convince the state? George Bush had 300,000 troops, 80 billion dollars, and several coalition partners to do a regime change. Here in Hawaii, it takes lobbying and patience to change things. Are there folks that'll dedicate themselves to sitting at the capitol to convince lawmakers to see the light? Are there folks that'll sponsor the grants that are suggested?
1. People don't change because human nature dictates that a resistance to change is normal. Especially if it's going to involve work. Before people will be willing to change, they need to see how the change will benefit them and make life easier (and cheaper). 2. Most folks don't know what Linux is. They've got their hands full doing an 8 hour a day job and trying to understand Windows or Mac. They need to be INTRODUCED to Linux. You can't stuff a round Linux into a square hole. HOSEF is doing a wonderful job of putting Linux in front of the public so people can understand it and "choose" to come on board. 3. Scott has been spending tons of time looking for computer donations to shore up the Linux momentum. Some of it has resulted in a few pre-owned systems, but not enough. If there are folks who know folks who have connections to organizations that can donate equipment that is being replaced or upgraded, it'd help the cause. 4. Every day it seems like there are more and more people who are stepping forward, introducing themselves and actively helping to make inroads into the State system. Changes will not happen overnight, but if the cause is just, the right thing will prevail. Ted -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of TB Sent: Friday, May 02, 2003 9:06 AM To: luau Subject: Re: [luau] RE:open source article > why is the state > pushing MS Office? Inertia. They are rarely ahead of the technology curve on anything, and open source is still pretty rare on the desktop. How many people do you know who use linux or have some OSS app on their windows desktop that you don't know through this list or some high-tech connection? For me it's still zero. The day will come when Joe Sixpack will be using OSS because it's cheaper & better, but it ain't here yet. > Just on Tuesday I was a visitor at UH Engineering college, they > too have so much to offer the state, I'm saying why not use the > college to develop open source programs, other equiptment > (servers, computers) for the state and keep the money and the > knowledge base in the state. They already do major research > projects that can mean $$$ for the state. 1) It would have to be part of some research project, not just a production deal. The university is in the research business, not high tech job training (perhaps unfortunately). Still I suppose it could be done somehow - ANCL <http://ancl.ics.hawaii.edu/ > might be a good model, they have research stuff in their mission statement, but I am tempted to think of them as primarily a testing lab (formerly for Internet Week, now InfoWorld). You'd need to find some OSS guru to lead it. Anyone want to go for a PHD at UH to fill this void? But if all the state wants is integration of existing software (seems likely?), then there's really no research aspect and so no role for the university. The HOSEF approach has been a bit conservative in this area (probably rightly), just "replace current windows-based computing capabilities of Hawaii schools or expand computing capabilities with OSS because it's cheaper & better." Maybe I'm not being creative enough, but I don't hear an obvious research question there. If that's our motivation, then the big question is "where do we get the resources we need?" and going through the university just complicates matters. 2) Someone at the legislature has to take a leadership position & carry the ball (at least nominally). Maybe Hoala's efforts with Ige will get this going. Alternative approaches would be to offer research grants in the area (generally, not just UH), or have a contest of some kind. But we need to be a bit more specific about what we want than "open source software developed or integrated or used or maintained in Hawaii." Don't we? And of course there's what we have now - let HOSEF volunteers do it. And the "business as usual" variant - have DOE hire some people to do it. TB _______________________________________________ LUAU mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://videl.ics.hawaii.edu/mailman/listinfo/luau
