Greg Freemyer wrote: > On 1/20/07, StephenW <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> As the original poster perhaps I should have added a bit of >> explaination for >> posting. So, I shall. >> >> I also work as a technical support person in an educational setting >> that is >> moving away from a "mixed platform" to a Windows only scenario. The >> mixed >> platform came about way back when the local school had choice. The >> district in >> now in charge of all hardware decisions. I began two years ago >> working with >> Mac (OS 8.0 thru 10.3.8) and Windows (95 thru WindowsXP SP2). Thanks >> be that >> in the last year the decision was made that I am no longer expected >> to keep >> everything working. What is left are the Macs running 9.2 or better >> and only >> the machines running XP - eventually all Macs are scheduled for >> replacement. >> >> I doubt I need to go into the problems I face working with machines >> that come >> with the user having administrator privileges... and even worse not >> being able >> to remove them because some of the programs need those privileges to >> function. >> This is especially onerous when teachers go away and leave computers >> running in >> that mode and students have access - you can guess some of the >> consequences. >> >> I keep looking for OSS programs that will do the same thing as the MS >> based >> programs and have installed a couple of them (e.g., Firefox and >> OpenOffice). I >> am afraid it is a losing battle since more and more companies are >> only writting >> educational software for Mac or MS. One example is seen in our district >> deciding to install ActivBoards in every classroom in the district (a >> multi-million dollar action). It is a great piece of technology but >> more >> firmly locks the sytem to MS (or Mac). Not to mention the use of >> SmartWeb and >> Excent (online tools for teachers' records and reporting) written >> specifically >> for Windows - and jury rigged to function somewhat on a Mac. Look as >> I may >> there is no way this kind of software can be countered. >> >> It appears that in spite of my desire to see OSS make more inroads it >> is not >> going to happen in the desktop application arena. >> >> Or, there any clout in a group like this to do anything - except >> solve our own >> problems in our own little worlds? >> >> StephenW >> >> PS I am still a novice in my pursuit of understanding and using linux - >> including lists such as this. The one LUG in my area fell apart >> sometime ago. >> I need to look about to see if they have been revived. > > Stephen, > > The Atlanta Public School systems has allowed at least one school to > totally drop MS and go with Linux thin clients instead. IIRC, most of > the apps run on Linux Servers thus significantly reducing IT support > issues. > > See http://article.gmane.org/gmane.org.user-groups.ale/41302 > > for a good posting about it. FYI: ALE is my LUG. > > If you want to know more details I suggest you google "Daniel Howard > Atlanta" and you will find a couple of news articles written about his > experience. > > Also, many of his other postings to the ALE list are relevant: > http://search.gmane.org/?query=atlanta&author=Daniel+Howard+&group=&sort=relevance&DEFAULTOP=and&%3C=Previous&TOPDOC=10&xP=atlanta&xFILTERS=Adaniel+howard+---A > > > Greg StephenW you have a linux group in the area www.melug-central.org
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