[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>Hi, > >Just want to react on the statement that Jijo's statements regarding GUI >programming. Although from the perspective of HCI, having an intuitive user >interface is important, I do not, however, advocate Windows for this >purpose. There is always a CHOICE. > >Anyway, UP DILIMAN CS students (for the past three/four years)have not had >the luxury of being taught Linux or using Linux for that matter. Yes, it is >the fault of the faculty and I am glad that I was not part of that (was >on-leave). Now that I am back - the students are forced to learn Linux -- >most, if not all, their application development are in non-Windows specific >technology. Although we cannot discount the fact that we have Windows 2000 >and XP (yes, legal licenses) in our labs, we now have Linux installed also. >Development is in Java and Linux so they still get GUI but non-Microsoft. >;-) It would really be better if students would get into Linux and free software development early on, as in CS12 (or CS11 in UP Manila and LB). I don't know for the other UP campuses, but the first taste students have of Linux was with their operating system courses (it's CS125 in UP Manila and LB). At a late stage, Linux would already sound like YAFL (yet another foreign language). This should not be only about Linux, but free software and open-source software in general. The university should be a bastion of academic freedom, and that freedom doesn't come in a platform that continues to dumb down the user and the tools, which in effect doesn't offer freedom. It should be free and open source software at the start - like employing Python and use of the GNU compiler collection and utilities in programming classes, PostgreSQL and MySQL for databases, etc... By starting early on and explaining its merits at the start, using free software would not sound to be forced down to the throats of the students. But that's just my opinion, as I'm still just a student after all... Some of my colleagues who graduated already from the CS program and are into business employing free and open source technologies also recommended learning how to use the Qt library routines as opposed to the traditional Motif. Anyway, PLUGers can give more sound and experienced opinion since many of its members are longer in the industry than I would ever be, and have employed such solutions in real life situations. >In line with this, major applications within Diliman are being migrated from >Windows-based to Linux based starting with the Computerized Registration >System (hopefully, the new version will be up in time for next year's second >semester) and the Faculty Information System. Cool! I was already impressed with CRS, though it was MS-based back then and have some faults (some of my friends in UPDil have not so good experiences with CRS). I don't know the case in my own campus as of yet, but I think they're working on a free software solution for our registration system. Anyway, I'm not into GUI designing altogether too (I prefer making small command line tools that are simple enough to use, though simple != easy for all instances). >Who says Linux is dead in Diliman? ;-) I won't... :) Paolo Alexis Falcone __________________________________ www.edsamail.com _ Philippine Linux Users Group. Web site and archives at http://plug.linux.org.ph To leave: send "unsubscribe" in the body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe to the Linux Newbies' List: send "subscribe" in the body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
