[LUAU] Hello - My Name is HOSEF

Angela Kahealani angela at kahealani.com
Thu Mar 27 23:47:14 PDT 2008


On Thu, 2008-03-27 16:13:40 Jim Thompson wrote:
> On Mar 27, 2008, at 12:57 PM, Dave Burns wrote:
> > On Thu, Mar 27, 2008 at 3:18 AM, Jim Thompson <jim at netgate.com>
> > The Kuokoa project got mentioned. I don't see that as competing
> > with e-waste much. If we had volunteers with the required skills
> > and motivation, it should have made more progress. Perhaps Jim is
> > going to take the lead and change that. It might be possible to get
> > a grant from the state or Bishop estate or some such and actually
> > pay people to work on it. There might be a professor at UH to team
> > up with. There is plenty of potential.
>
> What I'd like to do is get a grant (I'm thinking Campbell Estate, but
> I'm open to other options, Bishop being the most likely) to basically
> create
> the training classes to effect Kamehameha Schools (and/or the
> charter/ immersion schools) to effect a Hawaiian distribution of
> Ubuntu.

Most *NIX software is keyed to Locale, and it seems that locale is keyed 
to ISO country/language codes, so it seems to me that the first step is 
to get an ISO code for O'lelo Hawai'i, but maybe I'm behind the times 
and this has already hapened?

> My concern with additional school labs is that we're butting heads
> with DOE and many (not all, but many) tech coordinators,
> who all want the "shinny new stuff" (and there are hard-science
> reasons for it beyond its attractive shinny surface).

e.g. greeness of power consumption?

> We're literally attempting to introduce last-gen computers running a
> decidedly foreign software stack into a program that promotes the use
> of PowerPoint by students beginning in First Grade, thereby crushing
> any vestige of non-linear thought process and helping educating a new
> generation of middle managers who will toe the line and conform.

Xerox is not a verb. Photocopy is a verb.
Presentation Software is a category, PowerPoint is a specific 
implementation, so it's time to get right with the language,
as perception starts with language.

> Then we suggest that folks are stupid if they don't understand why
> "linux is better" or "open source is better", and are confused when
> most then turn and walk away, muttering about the crazy "free
> software" clowns.

Ignorance and denial often prevail over superior knowledge and 
technology, but that doesn't mean we have to buy into other people's 
limitations of consciousness.

> It would be so much better to take the approach that "here is
> something your Windows computers can't do", and then once they're
> interested, casually drop the bomb, "Office applications, yeah, its
> in there too", or better, let them discover it themselves.

There's no substitute for curiosity and an open mind.
Those unwilling to be open to alternatives,
are a waste of time and energy. No one can convert the unwilling.

> > Will computer guts and other teaching initiatives continue or be
> > canned?
>
> I actually think that computer guts is a good program, and admire
> Scott for doing so much with it.   Its a perfect venue for what
> eWaste we have, or decide to take in the future.  Linus got his start
> as a holed-up-in-the-bedroom geek with a new computer and a head full
> of experiments to run.  Who can tell what Computer Guts might enable
> in a young person who would otherwise not have access to the gear
> needed to start?

excellent. there's little substitute for hands-on experience,
and with a bunch of recycled e-waste, it's even O.K. if the
learning experience results in broken hardware.

> > Do we have a strong feeling that we can get non-ewaste hardware
> > from sponsors?
>
> I don't have any good 'feel' for this.
>
> I think its possible that we could work with UH and some granting
> agency to construct, promote and evangelize a "scientific computing"
> platform that was available to DOE teachers to use in their
> classrooms.

Is it time to introduce the latest fad of virtualization?

> Perhaps even several such (portable) clusters could be made available
> to students taking EXS1500 or ECS9900.  If the DOE isn't interested,
> perhaps Mid-Pac would be (and after all, isn't that where Warren
> started the HOSEF ship sailing?)

...any chance of Warren contributing info about his interests and 
priorities to our discussion?

> Perhaps there is a way to spin 'film making' into same as well,
> depending on the tools that are available for rendering, etc.

Linux is well known for render clusters, a subset of grid computing.

> There is a recent distribution of linux for x86_64 that is targeted
> directly at making music.   There are several distros for making
> music, actually but I'm referring to 64 Studio, http://64studio.com/
> Perhaps these could be added, on appropriate hardware to the music
> programs in the DOE, where appropriate and wanted.   "Look man,
> here's a whole studio in a box, just begging for you to start editing
> and resampling.  Let me show you how it works."   (How to teach via
> the EDGE method:  Explain, Demonstrate, Guide, Enable.)

This sounds like a very good approach.

> > Is Scott in or out?
>
> At this point, its his decision.   I hope he's "in".

In or out of what? 64studio? HOSEF? FLOSS?

> > Which deals are done and which are not? Sorry if I am
> > being dense, but I am just really confused.
>
> I'm not sure of any "done deal", but perhaps I've misunderstood you
> here.
>
> >> The more pressing matter is Scott's recent behavior.
> >
> > To you maybe, to me the most pressing matter is, what is HOSEF
> > about now?
>
> Allow me to restate, the most pressing matter before the board is
> Scott's recent behavior.

Whatever is done, is done, the question is, what are others 
contemplating as their choices as a consequence?

> Scott made a statement only this morning that the last board meeting
> was in December, when he actually
> attended an(other) telephonic board meeting this month.
>
> Scott asserts that no quorum is possible, but reading HOSEF's bylaws,
> we most certainly *do* have a quorum,
> and did earlier this month, and will likely continue to do so.

So, the only thing which matters is the consensus of will,
and how that is (or not) alterered by filling board seats.

Aloha, Angela Kahealani
-- 
"(I'll) Be Seeing You..."    All information and transactions are
private between the parties, and are non negotiable.   All rights
reserve without prejudice Angela Kahealani.  http://kahealani.com



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