[ILUG] Re: [ILUG-C] Re: Skolelinux

[Niall O Broin]

On 22 Aug 2004, at 21:28, Gavin McCullagh wrote:

>> Seems like a good idea. But let's go ahead with the mailing list on
>> linux.ie anyway.
>
> Could we hang on for the minute.  Ideally I'd like to host it on
> Skolelinux.org (where it's most relevant and other Skolelinux 
> developers
> will join it).

Absolutely - I thought you were requesting that ILUG host it. If the 
skolelinux people won't do it for you, ILUG will of course.

> I should probably look into the chances of registering skolelinux.ie 
> for
> this too.  It's likely to be a big royal PITA if I recall the IEDR.

I gather it's not as big a PITA as it was. But scoillinux.{com,net,org} 
are available for a little localisation of the name :-)

> He has.  He's a senior teacher, does all their IT and is very well 
> liked by
> students and teachers.  The money for Oslo is coming from his own small
> firm.  He sees possible business potential in getting this off the 
> ground.
> Teachers would have to be trained and some out-sourced servicing would 
> be
> inevitable in most schools.  This seems reasonable enough to me, 
> though if
> it caused ILUG any problem I'd understand.

Not at all - ILUG has always been supportive of businesses using linux, 
or selling linux related services. As a taxpayer paying that teacher's 
wages though, I have to wonder about the possible conflict of interest 
there. I don't see it as a big issue, but I'm sure some might i.e. his 
firm is pushing skolelinux related services, and their prime reference 
site is the school where he happens to be a senior teacher? I'm not 
saying for a minute that there's anything untoward there, but it could 
definitely be made to sound bad.

> The money for the server and work in the school is coming from the 
> school.
> He and the principal have been saving pennies for a bit IT upgrade 
> already.
> The idea of thin clients and Skolelinux came from me but they had 
> reckoned
> on needing to buy hardware anyway.

Yes, but at least with Skolelinux any budget they have available can be 
used for buying additional hardware - I don't imagine there are any 
schools which couldn't use more seats. And of course there's the 
reusing old hardware as thin clients advantage too.


Niall