[ Thanks to Marcos
Manhaes for this link. ]
“OLinux: In your opinion, what are the
main obstacles to get Linux inside the schools? What do you think
about the benefits of the open code?Phil Jones: Unfamiliarity, compatibility and
the time/effort needed are the main obstacles. Linux is a ‘rawer’
computing experience that requires learning. The rewards are there,
of course. Compability with Microsoft Word is a problem because
that program’s everywhere. In so many schools they’re just trying
to keep what they’ve got working and there’s no time or resources
for trying out something new.There’s also a (wrong) perception that schools have to give
children what they’ll find in the workplace. Children can easily
adapt from one platform to another. Also by the time they get out
of school it’ll all have changed anyway. If my school had that idea
then they would have trained me at twelve to be expert on Word
Perfect 4.1 for DOS. There’s no need to worry about it. Trust in
kids’ adaptability.”