[wilhelmtux-discussion] Re: wilhelmtux-discussion Digest, Vol 14, Issue 10

[Robert Ribnitz]

Hello Claude, (hello rest of the list),

I think when it compes to deployment of GNU Linux in developing 
countries, there are several issues at hand. Most of these issues are 
related to politics, some are also of a more technical nature.

1) The computers used in developing countries are often old, not to say 
ancient techology. While it might be fine to build processor-optimised 
systems for the developed world, a binary built for a Penitium-II will 
simply not run on a 486, and hence be unusable in a school equipped with 
486-class cpus

2) Licensing. Quite a few of the so called 'modern' distributions 
amalgamate a bunch of software on a few cds. Some of this softeware is 
Free (as in DFSG-Free), other software simply insn't (eg. Pine, a 
mail-reader, is essentially non-free). Adobe Acrobate Reader is 
non-free, mplayer, while technically free requires non-free libs to run 
adequately. Most of these licensing issues are hidden from the consumer, 
who simply gets a bunch of cd's (possibly with a manual). If  the 
software is used in the developping world, use restrictions should be 
considered ('May not be used to write gudance software for nuclear 
warheads'). Hence, the distribution in question needs to make a clear 
distinction between Programs/Libraries that are free, and those that are 
not.

3) Localisation. I dont know about all the developing countries, but it 
might be important to use packages that can be localised easily 
(Spanish, Portugese, English, and French). Ideally, the localisation 
team need not understand the inner workings of the software, but rather 
translate messages. Localizing to Hindi might be needed if Indian 
Schools need to be catered for.

4) Support. The choice also needs to axe around products available on 
the local markets. What good is it to choose a linux distribution, if 
there's no one knoweldgeable enough to service it in the next 2k km?

I think there's a spanish project (linux for extremadura), that has 
aimed at this, there's also an education-oriented list at debian 
(Debian-Edu). Finally there's the OFSET movement, aiming at a deployment 
of linux in schools.

It my opinion, it would be important for the stakeholders to 
communicate, and to develop a solution together. For this reason I 
propose to apporach OFSETso that this cooperatuion can be done on a 
global level. There's nouse to have 10 different groups of 5 people, 
doing the same thing.

Reiventing Wheels may be fun to start with, but the déjà-vu settles in 
rather early.

Robert
Claude Almansi wrote:

> Subject:
> [wilhelmtux-discussion] Fw: [DIGITALDIVIDE] Linux: 
> Mandrake/SuSE/RedHat for education
> From:
> "Claude Almansi" <claude.almansi at bluewin.ch>
> Date:
> Sat, 27 Mar 2004 16:06:40 +0100
> To:
> Diskussionsliste für die Kampagne Wilhelm Tux 
> <wilhelmtux-discussion at wilhelmtux.ch>
>
> To:
> Diskussionsliste für die Kampagne Wilhelm Tux 
> <wilhelmtux-discussion at wilhelmtux.ch>
> CC:
> joyojeet at SIMS.BERKELEY.EDU
>
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>
>Hello Zäme
>
>I know several of you are knowledgeable about the questions asked by Joyjeet
>Pal on the Divital Divide mailing list. So if you can spare the time, please
>answer Joyjeet directly: his address is in Cc.
>
>Hi Joyojeet: Wilhelm Tux is the mailing-list for the Swiss Campaign for free
>software, and  the topics you address have also been discussed here in the
>past. This is why I'm forwarding your e-mail to WT.
>
>Cheers
>
>Claude
>
>Claude Almansi
>claude.almansi at bluewin.ch
>www.adisi.ch
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Joyojeet Pal" <joyojeet at SIMS.BERKELEY.EDU>
>To: <DIGITALDIVIDE at OWA.BENTON.ORG>
>Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2004 1:51 AM
>Subject: [DIGITALDIVIDE] Linux: Mandrake/SuSE/RedHat for education
>
>
>Hi Group -
>
>I have a question relating to the use of Linux in developing countries.
>Does anyone know about how the various packaged versions compare with one
>another? For instance Mandrake v/s SuSE v/s Redhat. The bigger question is
>which is best (or well enough) suited for education apps at various
>levels.
>Of course, the larger question is - what issues are faced in Linux for
>education? Is it upto usability standards, and does it provide a vast
>enough range of application options for students (at beginner and high
>school levels) in developing regions? I've seen some studies comparing
>Linux to MS on this issue, but few ranking various avatars of Linux
>against each other.
>The questions get more complicated as one moves up the chain to
>universities, since the need for people to "shift" from MS to Linux is
>greater (whereas in the case of a number of developing regions, the
>Linux-based PC may be an individual's first exposure to computing) - thus
>the shift requires that a number of the currently used applications, which
>may not be available on Linux, need to be abandoned or adapted.
>What I have above are (at least) two different lines of questions, any
>input would be very valuable.
>Thanks!
>
>
>Joyojeet Pal
>School of Information Management and Systems
>University of California, Berkeley
>http://www.sims.berkeley.edu/~joyojeet
>
>  
>
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