My suggestion? Choose one application that is useful, target that and build a 'turnkey' system for it. Ensure it works within the DET system and guidelines. Market it from SLUG - now that you are incorporated - no need to make a profit, just cover costs. Probably offer a 'free' trial period. My suggestion would be - something like AUC so that there is no investment or change in desktop systems. - web development, is there a web based authoring system that can hook into Apache - would need forms, etc. There is MySOurce from SQUIZ, but that is commercial although they do do deals with schools. May be worth talking to. Or even provide a complete systemone, web server and one 'trial' workstation running Linux software - does SWISH have a LINUX equivalent. - on-line data collection - especially for academic reporting using say Apache, php and Postgres or MySQL. We use one developed by Ivan Lim at Emmanuel School
You can't go and say this is terrific stuff you should use OSS etc etc without some concrete examples and working systems of how it would work. Perhaps your initial work would be asking teachers what they want - not mentioning software etc, just what do they want to do. (Use an on-line survey and collect and collate the data via web and databases - put your money where your mouth is!). So set up the survey then target schools and ask for interested staff to respond. You must also have in place a support network - some free some paid - remember they won't trust anything that is totally free. There are also professional assoaciations of Computing Studies teachers and networks of teachers in Catholic Education and AIS schools - use them as contacts to find out what they need. If you have enough private and catholic schools doing something interesting it would be easier to get the DET to follow > -----Original Message----- > From: Jon Biddell [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Monday, 29 July 2002 11:12 PM > To: Simon Bryan; Slug > Subject: Re: [LINK] Re: [SLUG] NSW DET to be urged to use OSS > > > On Monday 29 July 2002 22:23, Simon Bryan wrote: > > OK, missed the beginning of this thread, but here is my two > cents worth. I > > have taught for 20 years so have some experience, have > introduced a number > > of CS courses and worked on Syllabus committees, HSC MArking etc, I only > > mention these as giving me some credence. I am currently the IT > Manager at > > my school and I need to emphasise these are personal opinions not my > > schools. > > <much excellent stuff snipped here> > > Simon, > > I bow to your greater expertise - obviously SOME schools have progressive > "management" - my own experiences have been with State schools only.... > > The big question now is "How do we make this all happen" ?? > > Jeff ???...:-) > -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group - http://slug.org.au/ More Info: http://lists.slug.org.au/listinfo/slug
