[aklug] linux gui config + random thoughts

You guys are way beyond me in expertise.

However my recent experience implementing a Linux/Ubuntu school-wide setup
for a small non-profit middle school saw an interesting dynamic.

Student body of 20-30, Staff of 12-15

All staff except for Finance were ported over to Linux. Two of the more "techie types"
enjoyed the new-found power of command line configuration, however it was readily apparent
that for general use a GUI-Config system was needed for the 100% previous Mac and M$ users.

Ubuntu's is getting better but once again it seemed that MCC aka Mandrake/Mandriva Control Center
was the most intuitive for those just being introduced to the "open source way".
(I actually wish Ubuntu would port this app to their distro for the GUI needy)

As for the students? Pretty much the same ratio; as a few took to things like fish in water
while others struggled. (As they had been with M$)

The explosion of Social Networking became the focus for many while I was there, netflix not streaming,
difficulty in online tax submittals caused issues but could be overcome with vbox when necessary.

Quick Books was the show stopper for Finance though under WINE I was able to show that it would work
M$ free.The Data Base Donor Perfect was run through vbox but latest tests have shown it also can
now run through the latest incarnations of WINE. Unfortunately it is not being done by present staff.

The biggest thing ALL could see was the massive change in security problems.
i.e. virtually non-existent.

Of course now that I am not there, you can guess what is happening. The part-time tech person haphazardly
trained by me and who is Full-time teacher/House Parent can barely keep-up with demands. Prognosis for
continued Linux implementation is somewhat dubious.

So Training, Training, Training and Follow Through is critical in these situations.
The handholding necessary and education with any IT implementation is paramount.
Unfortunately little priority is given to it in most organizations.

Thanks for the great aklug-list. If I could remember 1/1000 of what I read here I would be a genius. !

WH Bouterse
---------
To unsubscribe, send email to <aklug-request@aklug.org>
with 'unsubscribe' in the message body.
Received on Wed Oct 20 07:08:45 2010