[LUAU] Re: Goobuntu Linux

[R. Scott Belford]

On Thursday 02 February 2006 09:35 am, prb at lava.net wrote:
>
> A good thing, too. A couple of questions, though. How much do the
> efforts of HOSEF actually contribute to the spread of Linux?

I am not sure how familiar you are with the work of HOSEF.  I personally think 
that we have made a monumental contribution.  A rhetorical question for you: 
How much does this mailing actually contribute to the spread of FOSS? 

> Second, 
> when such a system is installed, how is it supported?

An overall goal of HOSEF has been to institutionalize the Freedom from FOSS.

Option 1 - DIY.  For about three years now HOSEF has held weekly, and, and at 
times, bi-weekly workshops.  For the last two years we have offered Free 
Saturday workshops.  If you want or need help, we are here, the K12OSN 
mailing list available, and the hosef-managers list is available.

Option 2 - Find a volunteer.  Some schools are fortunate enough to have a 
caring volunteer.  Ted Kanemori gave Enchanted Lake Elementary more time than 
many of us could imagine supporting and encouraging the use of FOSS.  If your 
school has a such a soul, we are here to empower her/him to be of service to 
you. 

Option 3 - The dirty Green.  There are vendors.  There is HOSEF.  I have begun 
to make it clear to schools that if they want to pay a trusted brand, pay 
HOSEF.  It serves our mission, and then we turn and contract a Linux Hawaii, 
a Julian Yap, a Vince Hoang, a Clifton Royston, a ${you}.

> To keep the costs 
> down, would support come from HOSEF, or from a school employee acting as
> the local geek?

The local geek you speak of is the 'Tech Coordinator'  This is a certified 
teacher who ends up being stuck with the tech support needs of the school.  I 
like to say it is the teacher who says, I installed windows, once, and they 
are then pegged as TC.  Some are great, some are behind the ball from day 1.  
Try being the only TC for 2500 students and a few hundred staff.  Understand?

HOSEF is the friend of the TC.  They and the principal are the customers.  See 
our three options for serving them.

> If it's the latter, I suspect that he or she would get 
> no extra money for maintaining the new system.

They get no extra money for doing anything.  If you want to see one of the 
many ways it is being addressed, do a bill search for SB2870

http://capitol.hawaii.gov

We would prefer to see as much full time tech support as possible at the 
school level.  The question then arises - are they to work with technology 
and curricula, and, if so, should they be Certified?  Or, are they to work 
only with supporting applications and hardware from the Central DOE, and if 
so, should they be Classifed?

> Has the group worked 
> something out in that area?

Everything is a work in process.  The fact is this - The push for 
Standardization in the School is Killing Innovation.  We are trying to help.

--scott

-- 
R. Scott Belford
Founder/Director
The Hawai`i Open Source Education Foundation
PO Box 392
Kailua, Hawai`i 96734
808.689.6518 phone/fax
scott at hosef.org