[TriLUG] OC OSS

[Carl Crider]

Looks like it's a closed session, as reported earlier. The text I was
forwarded (original post) is from
a relative that works in that system. I have no other details than what I
was sent. It seems that they are thinking ahead, especially with our current
economic situation and the possibility of teachers losing jobs. That's the
last thing we need IMHO. Hopefully, OSS solutions will help prevent the $$$
spewing from the holes in the current proprietary boat.





On Thu, Apr 2, 2009 at 1:19 PM, Mike Shaw <mdshaw89 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Any chance they can talk to Wake County and wake them up?
>
> --
> Rorschach: By the way, you need a stronger lock. That new one broke
> after one shove. - Watchmen
>
>
> On Wed, Apr 1, 2009 at 7:18 PM, Carl Crider <c.crider at gmail.com> 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.
> >
> > *Operating system savings.* Following applications, the next level of
> > opportunity for open
> >
> > source is at the desktop operating system. Purchasing a thin client or
> >
> > netbook with Linux rather than Microsoft could save the district $20-50
> per
> > device.
> >
> > This represents a savings of $8,000 - $20,000 per year. We are open to
> > testing this
> >
> > model in our schools to determine the impact on accessing resources and
> the
> >
> > engineering requirements to support this platform. This will become a
> > project
> >
> > assigned to one of our technical staff in the months ahead. The goal will
> be
> > to
> >
> > determine the costs and benefits of accessing web-based applications on a
> > Linuxbased
> >
> > netbook. Until we perform this user case study on how well this platform
> >
> > meets the needs of students and teachers, we cannot project the savings.
> > This
> >
> > information will be shared with the Technology Advisory Committee in May.
> > For a
> >
> > more detailed description of several of the cost avoidance and saving
> > initiatives,
> >
> > please see the linked document: Tech Cost Avoidance.
> >
> > Current: $8,000 - $20,000. Reduction: None - Note: Any savings resulting
> > from
> >
> > the use Linux will be used to increase the number of access devices for
> > students.
> > --
> > TriLUG mailing list        :
> http://www.trilug.org/mailman/listinfo/trilug
> > TriLUG FAQ  : http://www.trilug.org/wiki/Frequently_Asked_Questions
> >
> --
> TriLUG mailing list        : http://www.trilug.org/mailman/listinfo/trilug
> TriLUG FAQ  : http://www.trilug.org/wiki/Frequently_Asked_Questions
>