Linux flunks high school

Posted on 22 Nov 2005 at 15:13

David Moss dons his teacher's hat and looks at the cost of switching from Windows to Mac or Linux at his school

My other alternative, of course, is to swim with the penguin, and there the situation's entirely different. I already own the hardware, no extra cost involved, and I can download the software free, except for the broadband connection cost. Fantastic. So dump Windows and switch to Linux? Other businesses have done it, so I obviously could. Free up my budget from software licences and that will give me loads more to spend on infrastructure. Since my aim was to reduce costs, this seemed like a no-brainer route to go down, or rather it did until I did a bit more digging into just what it would entail.

For a start, I'm fully Windows trained - both self-taught over the years and by attending a variety of courses for my MCSE and other qualifications - but on the Mac and Linux I'm self-taught only. And while I've accumulated some Unix experience over the years, I'd be the first to admit that my depth of knowledge doesn't begin to approach what I have in Windows. (I'm sure this applies to many people running networks in small businesses and schools up and down the country, who are also contemplating the switch to Linux.) There would therefore be a certain cost involved in bringing myself up to the degree of knowledge to be able to run networks and teach in Linux, using a whole new software environment.

This gave me pause for thought, not least because I couldn't see how I was going to find the time to do this learning. My other problem was that I wouldn't be the only person who'd require training. Aside from a school full of pupils, I have a school full of adults who are versed in the use of Windows and its accompanying software. I couldn't imagine the bursar and her merry crew leaping for joy when I ripped out their nicely working Windows systems, running Sage, and replaced them with Linux and whatever free accounting package is available for it. Our admin network works well at the moment, with a whole group of people who are perfectly comfortable with Windows and know how to make it do more or less what they want. Microsoft Office didn't become the best-selling software on both Windows and Mac platforms because it was overly complicated to use and, while that old 'most people don't use more than 5 per cent of its features' chestnut may be true, they're very good at using the 5 per cent they do use. They're happy users and that's what I like, as does any sensible system admin in the world.

Contented users don't spend their lives bugging you, because they're able to get on with their work. It's taken time, and there have been minor glitches along the way - telling the head's secretary that she had an enormous profile wasn't perhaps the best choice of words - but I now mostly have contented users. Would switching to a new OS and new software raise their level of contentment? It's not just Windows and Office we use, but other crucial software packages like Sage and Act!. Once you start replacing such specialist software, you'd better have an overwhelmingly good reason for doing so, because you're starting out down a complicated and expensive path.

The expense, of course, lies in the training required. Even if I could replace, say, Microsoft Office with an open-source alternative like OpenOffice, the users would still have to be brought up to speed in how they worked. Sure, Bold, Italic and Underline are fairly easy to spot on a toolbar, but there are loads of small areas where functionality would be different enough that people would need to relearn skills they already had. When you've already got nicely working mail-merge setups, for example, why would you suddenly want to go and set it all up again on another suite of software? Cost could be one motivating factor, but while the software itself might be a free download (and it isn't always) the training and work time lost to training wouldn't be.

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Locked In

Mr. Moss, you definitely face a hard task to properly service your clients, the students, teaching staff, and administrative staff of the school. Diverse software, diverse hardware, and diverse operating systems.

I'm sorry you didn't find Linux a panacea. Listening to some folks rave about Linux, Macs, or whatever, you'd think they provided some kind of magical cure. Sorry, they're all just tools with advantages and trade-offs.

In a historically Windows-centric environment and you as a Windows-centric person, you'll be hard pressed to escape its clutches. I happen to believe you should stay open to all tools at your disposal.

In working with Linux, you'll need to be open to places where it fits in a non-disruptive manner. As a file server, a web server, a host for virtualizing a couple Windows servers, or as an application server for a school-specific piece of software (e.g., Moodle).

At the same time, you're mixed up environment lends itself to putting Windows applications on Terminal Server or Citrix servers so the desktop the user selects is neutralized. If you're looking at major hardware upgrades to deal with Windows 7 and the cost of provisioning everyone with Office 2010, it might be time for another tool to be considered.

There are other schools in England that have been successful in putting Linux to good use. It's hard to believe you are not aware of any and can't contact them to find out how they managed while you seem convinced you can't. To ignore a valuable tool like Linux seems a bad idea for the school, and for you as a modern-day administrator.

Finally, I hope some nefarious person at the magazine chose the title for your article without your consent. Otherwise, you'll have pulled down upon your head some very distracting grief for no good reason.

Good luck.

By noesam on 23 Jan 2010

It seems that what you've got is a big bundle of interdependent stuff that you can't dare change. That's fair enough if you're ok with that.

By steviesteveo on 14 Jun 2010

It doesn't have to be all or nothing...

They key part to service delivery in schools is, and increasingly will become, the separation of the application and the user experience from the delivery platform. The applications your users require should be independent of the platform they choose to use to access them. Increasingly students have their own laptops on which you can't hope to manage or control software or smartphones on which you might not even be able to install the software. You can allow students to benefit from technology they've invested in (or have because of special educational needs) and you can give them access to school applications or the whole desktop experience including access to data and controlled internet access from anywhere at any time. There are RDP and ICA clients for most platforms both traditional PC, eg Mac Windows, Linux and new iphone, ipod, ipad, android etc allowing access from almost all platforms. Importantly the data never leaves the school and applications can be updated without needing access to the user's platform! In school low power "thin devices" can be used reducing power requirements both for the PCs and for auxiliary services eg air con and extending the lifespan of the hardware. Applications can be introduced one at a time, it doesn't have to be an All Linux or all Mac or All windows environment, the best elements of each can be used to best effect where appropriate.

By cjohnsonuk on 19 Sep 2010

Virtualise

Surely the answer would be to throw in some Ubuntu workstations running VirtualBox hosting your Windows desktops. You can even find tools that will convert a physical machine to a virtual machine.

By Caltor on 12 Aug 2011

Holy old article Batman!

Posted on 22 Nov 2005 at 15:13

!!??!!

By PaleRider on 19 Aug 2011

Holy really old article Batman!

Honestly, latest Real World Computing. This article is SIX years old. Pull it or revisit it.

I don't think I will be renewing my subscription, the new format has highlighted a noticeable deterioration.

By Deadtroopers on 23 Dec 2011

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