Re: [Gnugeneration-discuss] Re: [fsf-community-team] Free software in schools

[Dara Adib]

Danny Piccirillo wrote:

> This reminds me of my high school senior project essay i wrote last
> year, so i've finally gotten around to publishing it. Let me know what
> you think--

Very nice and well-written. I like especially how you assume very
little technical knowledge when you explain free software.

This in turn reminds me of an essay I wrote last year (or more
accurately a rant) based of a weekly assignment done for school. It's
on the LibrePlanet wiki (yours might make a good resource there if
you want to add it). Should note that mine's a little US-centric, but
you can edit those bits out if you want to.

http://groups.fsf.org/wiki/Why_Public_Education_Must_Use_Public_Software

For the technology club at our school that promotes FLOSS, I wrote a
page on our site describing (and promoting) FLOSS.

http://chsntech.org/docs/floss.html

Peter Rock wrote:

> Could anything be added to this list?

Your list is well-organized and concise. I think you hit most if not all
of the points I could think of when I wrote my rant.

Maybe under learning opportunities you could add that free software
provides a more realistic hands-on opportunity in computer science for
example. It's one thing to write relatively simple code from scratch
and another to adapt a giant software package. The result: overall
better coders who are better prepared for the "real world".

> Are there any errors?

None that I easily spot. When you mention open standard for file
formats, you could also use the terms open format or free format. IIRC,
a free format is an open format that is unencumbered by copyright,
patents, etc. restrictions. Wikipedia has an article
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_format>.

> Also, my blog gets minimal traffic so it might be useful to put
> this somewhere else on the web. But if so, where?

I'd say the LibrePlanet wiki.

> For example, I'm often asked if teaching Free software in schools
> puts students at a disadvantage since the "real world" uses Microsoft
> products.

I know that argument! My answer (probably based on some readings
somewhere) is that the "real software" software students will use in
ten, twenty, or thirty years will be so different that only the
approach towards software will be relevant. This is about education,
not brand loyalty. If the education is so close-minded that a
difference in software is such a "disadvantage", then I don't think the
student will be able to adapt later anyways.

> Perhaps a comprehensive document/webpage outlining reasons and
> addressing common questions (which are often based on
> misconceptions) could serve useful. If anyone knows of a FAQ-like
> document on the web, I'd appreciate
> the URL.

The closest good resource I know of is the FLOSS concept booklet
wikibook <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/FLOSS_Concept_Booklet>.

Speaking of misconceptions, the company that provides our school's CMS
(or website revision system) with a heap of flash, wrote a nasty piece
of FUD (Fear Uncertainty Doubt) on "open source". Our school district's
IT director saw it in their newsletter sent to school administrators.
Luckily he sent a letter back and forwarded the article to me.

I stopped reading after it claimed Unix was developed by the GNU
Project. I could have sworn the article said "open source" was less
"open". I guess it means free software CMSs (like Drupal) are very
compelling. In other news our local library's website switched to
Drupal.