Why Linux is the Logical Choice for the Classroom
,----[ Quote ]
| A Microsoft Example
|
| You receive a dozen systems as "donations." However, there is no
| Microsoft authentication certificate pasted to the side (which every
| major dealer knows is important). Instead a version of Microsoft Windows
| and Microsoft Office is installed on the system with no verification it
| was ever properly licensed. So, because it was a nice donation you can
| simply ignore this issue because you had nothing to do with it, right?
| Wrong!
|
| The government of Zambia, as one example, was given stern warning to
| crack down on piracy by Microsoft. We're talking about the nation of
| Zambia in Africa. One of the world's poor nations and Microsoft is
| asking them to cough up money for software licenses.
|
| [...]
|
| An OpenSource Example
|
| You receive a dozen used computers. Some are so old the hard disks fail to
| boot, others include various atiquated versions of Windows and other
| software.
|
| You spend ~$600 US to buy a brand new computer from a local retailer. I
| must point out that today, even in Zambia you can get a decent computer,
| such as an HP workstation, from a local vendor in Lusaka. That having been
| said, the system comes with plenty of RAM, a big fast hard disk, and
| reasonable performance processor.
|
| You place it at the front of the room and call this new computer the
| Server.
|
| Now it's time to address those crusty old donated systems. You take a
| screwdriver and open each of the twelve computers. Within a few moments you
| find the hard disk and pull the wire connecting it. The hard disk has been
| disabled.
|
| Now you install a new network card into each system and connect them to the
| lab Server.
`----
http://www.reallylinux.com/docs/linuxclassroom.shtml
|
|
