Hello all, I work with a non-profit that uses linux, and also work with a group of volunteers that helps support Linux solutions in NPO's. You can check out more about that group at http://npotechs.org I want to second Wayne's comments about the utlitity of linux in the NPO environment.
John On Monday 06 October 2003 10:18 am, Wayne Johnson wrote: > Thanks for the reply. > > At this point, I only know of a handful of NPO's that are using Linux, > although there certainly are quite a few. I can list HCA, Bethel > College, and we were starting to implement it at Prizm. We've also > gotten requests from others wanting to know how to do this. > > One of the points of the class (or maybe the whole point) is to introduce > these people to the benefits. That probably should be part of the > introduction. Guess you have to sell a subject before you can teach it. > > One thing about your post though, Windows and Linux are not mutually > exclusive, and in fact tend to complement each other. If you have Win98 > on your workstations, fine leave it. But if you want to implement a file > server, E-mail server, firewall, Internet gateway (sharing a single > internet connection, even dialup, between users), printer sharing, local > or public web server, VPN gateways, etc. Linux makes a great solution. > > --- "Moore, Joseph D. SFC (MN)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Wayne, > > Here is my question, who in the non-profit sector is currently using > > Linux? > > If the audience is out there, then what you offer would be great. From > > your > > experience is their a lot of Linux out there in the Non-profit sector > > currently? > > 10% of the sector? Less? More? > > > > I think the problem initially may not be about teaching them Linux - > > Odds > > are the big problem is selling them on the idea of converting from > > Windows > > to Linux, then wiping out everything they have and converting them to > > Linux, > > finding replacement applications for everything they currently have in > > their > > Windows environment, and then teaching them the OS, Office App, Email > > client, AV, etc. > > > > If that is the case, the ones to focus on are the Windows 9x and older. > > They would have more work to do anyway bringing their office up to > > date. > > > > joe > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Wayne Johnson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Sent: Monday, October 06, 2003 9:29 AM > > To: Ryan Ware; '[EMAIL PROTECTED] '; > > '[EMAIL PROTECTED] ' > > Cc: '[EMAIL PROTECTED] ' > > Subject: Re: [Nonprofit_tech_talk] RE: [TCLUG] Using Linux for Small > > Businesses & Non-profits Class > > > > > > IMHO, the reason most of these people don't use Linux is because they > > don't know how. And the argument that we shouldn't teach them because > > they don't know how is a bit circular. > > > > We've used Linux for several years at Heritage Christian Academy and > > they > > have picked it up pretty well. It's based on this experience that we > > hoped we could share with the rest of the community. > > > > It is true, that there is a learning curve for Linux. There is a curve > > to setting up an NT server as well. That curve is becoming much faster > > for Linux, and much slower for Windows. I think Linux is becoming much > > more of an attractive option to these cost conscious organizations. > > > > --- Ryan Ware <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Not to be a wet blanket, but most of those people being sucked into > > > support > > > roles are sucked into a mostly or completely Microsoft environment. > > > Small > > > businesses typically have not been your *nix users for a number of > > > reasons. > > > Originally Unix was costly, Microsoft was cheaper. Microsoft was > > > easier to > > > use. Only recently has there been desktop ready for the average user > > > > a > > > > > cheap Unix variant (Linux). You'd be better off helping them with > > > their > > > Windows skills and teaching them how about the possibility of saving > > > some > > > dough by using Open Office instead of office, on Windows. Then later > > > show > > > them some of the other things Open Source and Linux have going for > > > > them > > > > > that > > > might allow them to save more money. > > > > > > One thing to consider too. How successful in these businesses will a > > > "switch" campaign be received or even useful to them if they already > > > have > > > say an NT environment in place with exchange that runs acceptably, > > > > that > > > > > they > > > are comfortable with and don't need to upgrade? > > > > > > Your class might be better for people that don't have much invested > > > > in > > > > > an > > > existing environment. I don't see OS/Linux as a natural fit for > > > > these > > > > > small > > > companies unless they just hire their adminning out, as a lot of them > > > won't > > > have full time "IT" guys anyway. The person likely to be stuck in > > > > this > > > > > support role is looking for the easiest way out, not necessarily the > > > most > > > technically superior because he has "real" job duties too besides > > > keeping > > > the computers running. > > > > > > Ryan > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Wayne Johnson > > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Sent: 10/5/03 12:42 AM > > > Subject: [TCLUG] Using Linux for Small Businesses & Non-profits Class > > > > > > My partner and I have been tossing around the idea of having a class > > > > on > > > > > "Using Linux for Small Businesses & Non-profits". The focus will be > > > for > > > the accidental techies that get sucked (imagine a black hole) into > > > > the > > > > > job > > > in their respective organizations. > > > > > > So far, I've been making a list of subjects to include. Here's just > > > > a > > > > > small start: > > > > > > Computer Basics (what is a CPU, memory, hard disk, I/O, video card, > > > etc.) > > > Installing Linux (we have a lab with ~20 PCs, might as well give them > > > some > > > behind the wheel). > > > Access Control (passwd, group, file system security) > > > GUI vs Command line (including a tutorial in Vi) > > > > > > Available packages: > > > OpenOffice > > > Samba > > > E-mail Serving > > > Printer Configuration > > > Networking (DHCP, Routing, Subnets, etc.) > > > Apache, PHP, MySQL, Postgres, Perl, etc. > > > Firewalling & Gateways (SNAT) & the Internet > > > Backups > > > > > > Hardware: > > > Modems > > > CD-RW > > > > > > At this rate, It'll be a 4 year course. > > > > > > Any suggestions? Frequent subjects at InstallFests? Text books? > > > Remember, some of these folks are pretty low end techies, so simpler > > > > is > > > > > probably better. > > > > > > Maybe we can tie the class in with an installfest? > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota > > > http://www.mn-linux.org [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > https://mailman.real-time.com/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list > > > ___________________________________ > > > Nonprofit_tech_talk mailing list is a service of MAP for Nonprofits > > > with partial funding support from the Greater Twin Cities United Way > > > and Tech Foundation. Opinions expressed on this list are those of > > > > the > > > > > individual author and not necessarily the opinion of MAP or the > > > > United > > > > > Way. > > > > > > Nonprofit_tech_talk mailing list > > > To post, send an email message to: > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > To change your options (including to unsubscribe), go to: > > > > http://www.communityforum.net/mailman/listinfo/nonprofit_tech_talk > > > > > > ===== > > --- > > Wayne Johnson, | There are two kinds of people: Those > > 3943 Penn Ave. N. | who say to God, "Thy will be done," > > Minneapolis, MN 55412-1908 | and those to whom God says, "All right, > > (612) 522-7003 | then, have it your way." --C.S. Lewis > > > > __________________________________ > > Do you Yahoo!? > > The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search > > http://shopping.yahoo.com > > ___________________________________ > > Nonprofit_tech_talk mailing list is a service of MAP for Nonprofits > > with > > partial funding support from the Greater Twin Cities United Way and > > Tech > > Foundation. Opinions expressed on this list are those of the > > individual > > author and not necessarily the opinion of MAP or the United Way. > > > > Nonprofit_tech_talk mailing list > > To post, send an email message to: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To change your options (including to unsubscribe), go to: > > http://www.communityforum.net/mailman/listinfo/nonprofit_tech_talk > > ___________________________________ > > Nonprofit_tech_talk mailing list is a service of MAP for Nonprofits > > with partial funding support from the Greater Twin Cities United Way > > and Tech Foundation. Opinions expressed on this list are those of the > > individual author and not necessarily the opinion of MAP or the United > > Way. > > > > Nonprofit_tech_talk mailing list > > To post, send an email message to: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To change your options (including to unsubscribe), go to: > > http://www.communityforum.net/mailman/listinfo/nonprofit_tech_talk > > > ===== > --- > Wayne Johnson, | There are two kinds of people: Those > 3943 Penn Ave. N. | who say to God, "Thy will be done," > Minneapolis, MN 55412-1908 | and those to whom God says, "All right, > (612) 522-7003 | then, have it your way." --C.S. Lewis > > __________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search > http://shopping.yahoo.com > ___________________________________ > Nonprofit_tech_talk mailing list is a service of MAP for Nonprofits with > partial funding support from the Greater Twin Cities United Way and Tech > Foundation. Opinions expressed on this list are those of the individual > author and not necessarily the opinion of MAP or the United Way. > > Nonprofit_tech_talk mailing list > To post, send an email message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To change your options (including to unsubscribe), go to: > http://www.communityforum.net/mailman/listinfo/nonprofit_tech_talk ___________________________________ Nonprofit_tech_talk mailing list is a service of MAP for Nonprofits with partial funding support from the Greater Twin Cities United Way and Tech Foundation. Opinions expressed on this list are those of the individual author and not necessarily the opinion of MAP or the United Way. Nonprofit_tech_talk mailing list To post, send an email message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To change your options (including to unsubscribe), go to: http://www.communityforum.net/mailman/listinfo/nonprofit_tech_talk
