Tired of supporting friends' computers Migrate them to GNULinux 3515

On Saturday 30 April 2005 22:44 Heather Locklearjet

If the school (I take it that this is an American School, btw?) insists that Windows software is to be used, presumably the parents wouldn't mind using Wine, Crossover, Win4Lin, or VMware. They would then be able to control the malware situation of course, in that they would ensure that the Internet was accessed only from Linux, while the children would be able to run any Windows software which had been approved by the parents.

There are many advantages of doing it this way, one being that the parents no longer need keep-pace with the latest MS systems and the cost that that entails (W98 works quite well), they save the cost of (presumably several) AV subscriptions, and they give their children a head-start on the IT front by making them familiar with Linux, which as you know is a secure, multi-user, multi-tasking, "proper" O-S. Indeed, such a fortunate child, benefitting from the enlightened home environment, would no doubt quite soon be advising or running the school's IT department, taking liveCDs in to school, and no doubt campaigning for the school to adopt Linux.

You do make quite a valid point, in that (too often, imo) schools, nightschools, etc. are working on the principle that courses for:-

"Spreadsheets" means "How to use Excel" "Word Processing" means "How to use MS Word" "Internet" means "How to use I.E. and Outlook"

It is changing here. Perhaps it will take a lot longer in the U.S., which is presumably still home to the 1-7th H.P. light-bulb?:-)

Bill