[LUAU] Schools and the OPM Addiction
R. Scott Belford
scott at hosef.org
Mon Dec 3 15:15:12 PST 2007
Jim Thompson wrote:
> Can't someone put the Sugar interface on top of non OLPC boxes, and make
> a distro out of it? That would get allow HOSEF to pitch Hawaii's
> schools on a OLPC-like setting (the sizzle) on desktops without having
> to sell the steak (FLOSS).
>
> Or perhaps Bishop Estate / Cambell Estate / Kaneohe Ranch could be
> persuaded to buy OLPCs for youth in Hawaii Homelands housing, or HOSEF
> could find the grants to purchase and administrate OLPC programs to
> reach Hawaii's disadvantaged youth. Maybe Kamehameha school students
> could BOGO, with the "GO" going to a disadvantaged Hawaiian youth.
Your observation could not be more timely. This is exactly what we are
working to propose to a few of the above-mentioned entities. I have
attempted, so far unsuccessfully, to make contact with the OLPC team
about actually buying their hardware. Their supply chain could use the
committed orders.
You know your ideas are good when you hear them from unassociated
parties. A friend in Makaha who is a born and bread Native Hawaiian
finally understood this past Friday what HOSEF is about. Her first
question was yours, Jim, 'why not find a way to get one of those
hundred-dollar laptops to all the Native Hawaiian children in Hawaiian
Homelands, and why not go to OHA for it.' She and I are meeting today
to move on it, and I will contact you for details and information.
>
> Yes, its OPM.
>
> Play the game from the inside, not the outside.
That is exactly my message. This was born in response to someone on the
K12OSN mailing list who had become a bit exasperated by his endeavors in
Missouri. This list, for those who are not familiar with it, is full of
global stories of people promoting, adopting, supporting, using, etc,
FOSS in their school settings.
For anyone vaguely familiar with HOSEF's commitment to getting Free
computer labs into schools and community centers, you will know that
this assessment is made from the requisite and painful real experiences.
I can cite several schools this past year that had been using Free
computers labs, successfully, for years. After changes in teachers/tech
coordinators, they came under new leadership.
There was an acceptance and an eagerness to use the existing Free
computers, and there was a good relationship with those in our community
providing Free but limited assistance. Money was found, somehow, to buy
new computers. The reasons cited, with regret, were that there was a
need for more immediate support. Rather than expensing a fraction of
the cost of new hardware for locally born and bread support, it was
expensed on bling.
For this I fault myself for not creating the opportunity to spend that
money with us. I do not fault the dealing vendor. I do not fault the
using customer. I fault me, the social entrepreneur, who failed to
provide a solution for the problem. I certainly do not excuse what I
see as a misuse of OPM, but what alternative did I leave them with?
>
> Maybe we could revive Kuokoa then.
I introduced her to your idea. Who doesn't like it? For those
unfamiliar, Jim asked the question - why don't Native Hawaiian children
have a fully immersed Hawaiian language computing experience- almost two
years ago at TPOSSCON. I believe it was part of this speech
http://youtube.com/watch?v=XKmHsqXc9TM
It has spawned another mailing list at HOSEF
lists.hosef.org
and is in need of attention, passion, and probably some OPM. :-)
>
> Jim
--scott
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