KDE Desktops For 52 Million Students In Brazil 201
An anonymous reader writes "Mauricio Piacentini writes about a deployment of systems running Linux and KDE in Brazil's schools; some 52 million students are to be served by this initiative. 'What is interesting about this project is that it not only provides infrastructure (computers and net connectivity) but also open content to students in public schools. The software installed on these systems is "Linux Educacional 2.0," a very clean Debian-based distribution, with KDE 3.5, KDE-Edu, KDE-Games, and some tools developed by the project.' The distro comes in Portuguese only at this time." quarterbuck notes that Linux is making other inroads in the BRIC economies (Brazil-Russia-India-China): India and China are getting a custom-designed Ubuntu laptop from Dell, and Russia is making their own Ubuntu laptop this year.
A major win for Open Source (Score:5, Interesting)
Back when I were in school, we had no other choice than to use Windows. Even back then, I realized the clever tactic of Microsoft - if everyone is taught to use Windows the have plenty of market.
But Microsoft is just too greedy, instead of giving the software away to educators, which, in the en would result in bigger market share, insist on licensing and charging everyone - which in turn makes initiatives like these worthwhile.
The only marketing methods I've been exposed to as admin for a bunch of libraries, is the scare and bribery methods they used on a country-wide level, which resulted in M$ centric solutions being shoved down our throats.
The director of the libraries I've working on, has been told that installing Linux will result in BSA audit. We did, nothing happened, obviously, but all the other libraries are still using Windows servers.
And paying for that, instead of buying books or journals.
This has happened in EU approx 3 years ago.
If this was not Linux or F/OSS (Score:5, Interesting)
What is even better about this is that not only is there no dollar value in the story to make it worth hearing, but millions and millions of people will be using F/OSS software rather than beginning a life of paying for the privilege of 'using' software.
So the story is about success and growth rather than money and contracts. A positive story. Sure, it's good for Dell monetarily, and Ubuntu too but it's not all about money, profit, and contracts. Just reading it make me feel the world is a bit more free.
(cynicism on) How long before we see stories about MS doing deals to counteract these successes? (cynicism off)
Microsoft caught in the middle (Score:5, Interesting)
Microsoft is in the middle, giving up market share on both sides.
Re:wrong headline, wishful thinking (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Poor Brazilians. (Score:4, Interesting)
This is definitely a step in the right direction for a developing country, but it doesn't seem to have the large scale plans of say the XO laptop program [wikipedia.org].
At least its Linux though...wonder if theyll be getting hardy heron anytime soon?
OpenEducationDisc (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Excellent! (Score:4, Interesting)
I only buy hardware with Linux support. The companies I have worked for, when they have decided on Linux, ensure that the hardware they buy will work with the OS they have selected.
Hardware support has not been a large problem for me. Drivers are not a huge problem.
Re:Excellent! (Score:5, Interesting)
I know that "counting" the number of Linux installs is essentially impossible, but here are some random numbers I've accumulated that point to the approximate size of the Linux user base:
1. The Linux Counter [li.org] estimated 29 million installs in 2005. This estimate involved numerous assumptions, such as extrapolating from 8 million installs reported by Red Hat in 1998.
2. According to [zdnet.co.uk] an IDC study, the Linux marketshare for PCs was ~3% in 2003.
3. There are about 1 billion Internet users [internetworldstats.com]. Browser logs indicate that Linux accounts for ~0.8% to ~3.9% of web traffic [wikipedia.org]. This gives us an estimate of 8 million to 39 million Linux users. (The upper estimate is undoubtedly an over-estimate since the value comes from W3Schools [w3schools.com], which probably has a greater fraction of 'technical' users.)
4. According to Canonical's server logs from OS updates, there are approximately 6 million active users of Ubuntu (see here [linux.com] and here [sys-con.com]). Assuming that Ubuntu represents 30% of Linux usage (based on this [desktoplinux.com]), you can come up with an estimate of 20 million Linux users.
5. According to Fedora's logs for OS updates [fedoraproject.org], there are approximately 2.8 million installations of Fedora Core 6, and 1.6 million of Fedora 7. Assuming Fedora represents 9% of Linux installs (again, based on this [desktoplinux.com]), you can estimate 48 million Linux users.
Obviously all of these methods have their own problems. I'm not claiming that any of these estimates are robust. However they do at least suggest a range for the number of Linux users (~20 million) and the marketshare of Linux (~1% to 2%).
So, this single project, it would seem, is drastically increasing (doubling?) Linux usage. This is huge, in my opinion, because a generation of students who have learned Linux will be far more likely to use and improve upon FLOSS when they enter the job market.
Re:A major win for Open Source (Score:4, Interesting)
But Microsoft is just too greedy, instead of giving the software away to educators, which, in the en would result in bigger market share, insist on licensing and charging everyone - which in turn makes initiatives like these worthwhile.
Early on in the US, Apple was donating systems to schools in order accomplish the same thing. But by the time MS got involved, they already got a foothold on business. Most people wanted a computer that was compatible with the type they used at work. MS gave some licenses away, but just like a crack dealer they just gave them enough to replace Apples with PCs. The next hit you pay for. Then it became the defacto OS and so the school hierarchy thought--no sense teaching children the Apple when business are all using Windows....
The director of the libraries I've working on, has been told that installing Linux will result in BSA audit. We did, nothing happened, obviously, but all the other libraries are still using Windows servers.
Yes, I'm sure the MS rep told him that!
Re:Excellent! (Score:3, Interesting)
Building a new PC vs. switching (Score:4, Interesting)
That's good if you're building a new computer. I think timeOday's problem is that (s)he is trying to switch an existing computer from Windows to Linux or from Windows to dual-boot Windows/Linux. In that case, you have to choose software that works with what you have unless you want to have to replace 10 to 50 percent of your hardware.
For those building a new computer, such as the situation of the article, do you recommend particular brands of Linux-compatible desktop or laptop PC hardware?
Re:If this was not Linux or F/OSS (Score:4, Interesting)
There is nothing in the Windows world that ever gave me the joy that I experienced last night: I logged into my Ubuntu laptop and up popped a window for updates. It said there is a new version of Ubuntu ready and asked if I would like to upgrade. Sure, it took all night to upgrade, but it was FREE! All I had to give was my consent.
This morning I had a cup of coffee, scanned the news, and checked out Ubuntu 8.04 briefly. This is an experience that Windows users will never have. Specifically I mean free upgrades, improvements, patches (free for both-ish, but you never know exactly why or what MS is patching) and security improvements. The sense that I get from GNU/Linux and F/OSS is that they are working to HELP me, not the other way around.
Point of info: I donated to Fedora, Ubuntu, DSL, Puppy, OOo, Gimp, ClamAV, and will probably donate to others this year if I find I'm using their code regularly. So when I say free I don't mean I'm freeloading. I truly feel that I'm getting damned good value for the money I donated.
Eventually, there will be an exploit but in the meantime I'm not paying someone to put that exploit on my machine for them, I'm donating money to pay for the hard work that went into creating world class software that I use. There is quite a difference between the two cultures, even if both will be attacked at some point.
Back on topic, the F/OSS world is opening up the information age to many people who would not otherwise be privy to it. That means an entire class of people are giving this to them, sharing it with them. RMS should be proud of what he has promoted and done.
Re:A major win for Open Source (Score:1, Interesting)
As a computer teacher of many years, who managed to teach his students with a linux lab for 5 years, until an ignorant, computer-illiterate, easily FUDified principal came into the school, and demanded that linux be wiped out and ONLY windows would be taught, etc., I can assure you that M$ is doing everything it can, including things such as kickbacks, special 'educational' trips to various places and conferences, paid by M$, 'free' software to those who make computer/software decisions/purchases, in schools, FUD, etc.
The destruction of education in North American schools continues, due mainly to FUD by M$, corruption of schools by M$, etc. If you had the vaguest idea of what goes on in schools nowadays by M$, to keep linux out of schools, you'd be asking for the heads of most schools, administrators, politicians, etc.
It's the same old story...follow the money...how much money is your school board paying(wasting?) to M$ for "Software Assurance", etc.? And if the school's computers blue screen, etc.? Well, too bad, re-image, pay $200 per call to be told: "reimage the machine", etc. It's appalling the MILLIONS upon MILLIONS of dollars that are going from schools, hospitals, etc. to M$
Demand accountability from officials (and educate them as well, if possible, although I have found most to be hopeless PHB types...but at least I tried (and keep trying)).
Commiment to open source in Brazil (Score:1, Interesting)
Needless to say, I deleted my Windows partition right away and installed the new ubuntu to play with it. It was my last reason to keep windows around. I'm finally free!
That must be why (Score:4, Interesting)
PC shipments for the last quarter are up 12% over the same quarter last year, and Windows revenues are down 24% over the same period. Serious changes are happening.
Re:Building a new PC vs. switching (Score:3, Interesting)
Again, the nvidia driver in my laptop. Is it "linux supported"? The official answer is yes. But start trying to use suspend-to-ram, 3d acceleration, xrandr, docking and undocking... you get crashes in the kernel, crashes in the nvidia config app, on and on.
So, there is a big difference between "Oh, yeah, I guess we support that" and actually devoting ongoing resources to make stuff is maintained and actually works for users. My experience is Linux is a VERY distant second or third priority to hardware makers. More users will help.
Re:Excellent! (Score:3, Interesting)
I got a new laptop with Vista Ultimate (Toshiba Qosmio F45, already out of production).
I am barely used to XP (lots of previous windows experience, tough), so I don't have enough experience to beta test Vista. I have been having some problems, like random freezes, random network failures and permission problems I don't understand, and can't be bothered to learn. That, aside from the performance issues I have been suffering.
So, I decided I should install XP Professional, so I can work on the Windows-only software I need for my work.
To my surprise, the oem XP SP2 install did not recognize my SATA HD. I had to jump through lots of hoops in order to slipstream the SATA drivers in the CD. Had to get software to modify the ISO, change lots of text files with strange snippets I found on the web.
It finally installed. Then I realized my video was not supported (Intel GM965). Ok, I downloaded the drivers. They worked. I also downloaded some "chipset drivers"
Then I found out I didn't have sound. I spent two nights crawling for drivers. I finally got the Realtek drivers, that bring a visual bug with my volume control, leaving small windows on top of my windows. I "fixed" that getting rid of the volume tray icon.
Now, I found out it doesn't come back gracefully from hibernation. I will see if next weekend I am lucky enough to fix it.
My point is that the problem is not that Linux drivers are difficult. They have been problematic in the past, but right now they are much better. On the other hand, Windows drivers can be a real headache, but you usually don't see it because they come preinstalled.
The real issue is that installing an OS on a machine is really hard, unless someone does it for you.
About my machine: I tried the live Ubuntu 7.10 in it, and everything worked flawlessly out of the box.
Disclaimer: I know Intel chipset driver issues with Windows XP are not supposed to be the fault of MS, but we all know that Intel and Microsoft are very good friends, it would be very easy for Intel to provide the right drivers in their website for XP, and not only for Vista, when we are talking about a chipset released when XP still was the top seller.
Don't believe the hype (Score:3, Interesting)
The XO laptop was also doing badly because there were not nearly enough qualified teachers. We're talking teachers here that can barely teach with a blackboard and chalk. The international Pisa student evaluation (done in 57 countries) places Brazilian students at the lowest tier in Mathematics proficiency http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/folha/educacao/ult305u351481.shtml [uol.com.br] (pt_br).
Now, as we all know, even for the lowly Turtle logo, a modicum of Mathematics is necessary for both the student and the teacher.
In this respect, open source (source code) will bring nothing to these students. Maybe for a statistically negligible elite. Well, so be it.
As for the purported 52 mil, the nationwide 2004 school census had the numbers at 8.7 mil for "mid-level" school and 10.7 mil at 17-17 years.
http://br.monografias.com/trabalhos/educacao-pobreza-brasil/educacao-pobreza-brasil2.shtml [monografias.com] (pt_br)
This 52 mil is probably self-promotion bullshit from the chronics at this leftist government, who do nothing but lie in general and specifically with numbers. The only real numbers I can see sprouting forth with any substance is the shitload of money the political free-software clique that revolves around the Worker's Party will make in installing Debian for such a huge basis. Hooray!
There's very little being done in terms of educating teachers so as to harness the power of free software in building knowledge (and the GPL is not good for that - BSD systems would really empower people to sell their work instead of giving it for free).
My feeling from young kids I know from public schools is that Linux will produce nothing but rejection in the end, as soon as they realize you can't play those neat video games in it. You know how kids are, they don't care about the GNU toolchain...Their bottom line thinking is: "no fun - then the fuck with it!"
Anyhow, if I sound against the thing, I just want to say I'm not. I just would not believe the hype. We've seen Brazil and Free Software in the headlines before and in terms of concrete achievements, they have delivered very little.