[TriLUG] OC OSS

[Carl Crider]

Thanks for adding this Kevin. That text was forwarded to me last night and I

didn't want to cross any (too many) lines.

-Carl

On Thu, Apr 2, 2009 at 8:23 AM, Kevin Hunter <hunteke at earlham.edu> wrote:

> For those who need a little more context, this is on the agenda for
> *today's* meeting of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education.
>
>
> http://www2.chccs.k12.nc.us/education/components/docmgr/download.php?fileitem=55322
>
> Item under section IV (page 12): Technology Cost Avoidance and Savings
>
> Kevin
>
> At 7:18pm -0400 on Wed, 01 Apr 2009, Carl Crider wrote:
> > *Open Source / Web 2.0 cost avoidance.*
> >
> > There is a movement supporting the use of open source and web
> > 2.0 applications in K-12 education.  The convergence of web
> > technologies and the growth of new virtualization solutions
> > makes this an exciting time to manage a computing enterprise.
> > In 2006 the district made the decision to stop purchasing new
> > and upgraded licenses for Microsoft Office for teacher and
> > student computers.  The cost to upgrade all computers to the
> > latest version of MS Office is $297,000.  We do not plan to
> > upgrade to this product across the district.  Our current focus
> > is to identify open source or Web 2.0 solutions to replace
> > costly proprietary software.  This cost was most recently
> > avoided by installing the free, open source product called "Open
> > Office" at Carrboro High School, on all High School teacher
> > laptops, and at Morris Grove.  At $50 per workstation for MS
> > Office, this saved the district over $17,000.  During the past
> > few years the district has not purchased much software.  We are
> > requesting that our customers use free, web 2.0 products such as
> > iTunes, Audacity, Tuxpaint, Photostory, and Google Sketch-up.
> > This is a trend that is embraced by most schools.  Current:
> > There is a minimal software budget at the district and within
> > schools.  In most cases, this has been transferred to support
> > on-line resources or hardware needs.  Reduction: None.
> --
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