I think the issue of problems cropping up down the road could easily be
solved by first focusing on training the in house IT person. Even if
they
dont have any real computer skills, spending the time to get that one
person
up to speed would and should dramatically help the rest of the
organization,
be it a school or non profit. Instead of users getting frustrated
they'd get
help.
That said, I would kinda hold off from the idea of dropping off a
system one
household at a time, unless part of the plan is some real training.
But to
get linux into the hands of more people more efficiently, seems like
where
it works, groups of 20-50 or so would be better.... again, assuming
there's
an in house IT person to be the frontline. Depending on that persons
skill
level, they should be able to pickup on the idea of getting help via
forms
and IRC depending on how critical the problem is.
On 1/25/07, Kevin Kalupson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> My last post was bounced by the listserv, in case it bounces again I'm
> addressing you directly Matt....
>
>
> I've been involved with a project in State College, PA which may be of
> interest.
> We collect unwanted systems, see what we can salvage or need to add
and
> install Linux.
> The refurbished systems are then distributed to families with
elementary
> school age children
> in need of a home computer. The idea is to at least provide the kids
> with some exposure
> to word processing and etc so they aren't so far behind the other kids
> in regard to technology
> when they reach the higher grades.
>
> It is a loosely organized group that is headed by a local teacher with
> support from a
> family services type organization.
>
> I can give more details and suggestions if this is something that
sounds
> interesting.
> I can also say the kids do get excited about the new system.
>
> -Kevin
>
>
> The parents Eoin Fitzpatrick wrote:
> >
http://project.cyberpunk.ru/lib/in_the_beginning_was_the_command_line/
> >
> > It's a quick and entertaining read.
> >
> > Kids who may like Linux will certainly be in the minority - they
play
> > with legos and read sci-fi, so they won't be hard to find :-)
> >
> > On Wed, 2007-01-24 at 22:57 -0500, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> >
> >> I'm not familiar with the Neal Stephenson reference so I may be
> >> misinterpreting this, but from a kid's perspective, both Windows
and
> Linux
> >> would be free (in the financial sense), and considering which OS
all
> their
> >> games will run on, Linux will seem like the station-wagon. I think
> kids
> >> would be a hard sell, unless they're the type who might be
interested
> in
> >> all the geeky cool stuff you can do with Linux.
> >>
> >> -Derek
> >>
> >>
> >>> It's the "willing teacher" problem I had with my classroom
idea. I
> put
> >>> the question to a few teachers I know, and there's not much
interest.
> >>>
> >>> I like the idea of outreach and advocacy Matt suggests - if you
think
> >>> about my original idea, perhaps the market's wrong. Instead of
> selling
> >>> Linux to the teacher/administration, sell it to the kids. Any kid
> >>> interested in computers would choose the "free tank" over the
> "expensive
> >>> station-wagon" (a la Neal Stephenson "In the Beginning") and a
> *willing*
> >>> kid would actually learn.
> >>>
> >>> On Wed, 2007-01-24 at 22:25 -0500, Judah Milgram wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> Beware of OPC [1] syndrome
> >>>>
> >>>> [1] Other Peoples' Computers
> >>>>
> >>>> It's not just the install and setup. You'll have to hold their
hands
> >>>> forever, else sooner or later they'll run into a problem they
can't
> >>>> solve and if you're not available right then and there it'll
be "we
> >>>> tried Linux and got burned".
> >>>>
> >>>> Especially unpromising if you have to "convince" someone they
want
> >>>> Linux.
> >>>>
> >>>> I see a reply from Eoin ... maybe his experience says something
> >>>> different.
> >>>>
> >>>> Judah
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Matt Lee <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>> I've recently started to look into the idea of assisting private
> >>>>>
> >>>> schools and
> >>>>
> >>>>> non profits in migrating over to linux. Has anyone else
already done
> >>>>>
> >>>> this
> >>>>
> >>>>> sort of thing? With the summer break a few months out this seems
> like
> >>>>>
> >>>> it is
> >>>>
> >>>>> a good time of year to come together and start planning,
convincing,
> >>>>> whatever is needed before any actual installs take place.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Feedback, experience, whatever?
> >>>>>
> >>>>> -Matt
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
>
>
>
--
In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice; In
practice,
there is.
- Chuck Reid
