Many of you know me as being a pro Linux kind of guy, it makes sense really! Its free, its reliable, and it gets the job done with a lot less hassle than doing the same work on a Windows machine.
I however am not the only one who supports the use of Linux. Jack Wallen speaking from TechRepublic has actively encouraged the use of Linux for children. I agree with him.
Key points from what he says over at ZDnet is that Linux should be aimed at children and would make an excellent choice for use in schools – some places have entirely switched computers over to Linux in schools and many University computing departments make use of Linux also. Kerala in India has completely switched all of their school computing away from Windows to Linux.
Points of Note:
- Virus, Malware and Security – Given that Viruses and Malware are for all intents and purposes do not exist on Linux this is a clear move, He points out that children are likely to open things they shouldn’t and are not going to be supervised constantly on the computer. Security models on Linux are by design far more secure than Windows.
- Cost of Ownership – its free, and this surely will fit in line with Government budget cuts no longer will they need to pay expensive annual license costs for copies of Windows or Office (which can be and should be replaced by OpenOffice).
With this in mind, perhaps its time to send a few letters to local MPs, get a campaign going to convert school computers over to Linux.
References
NewLaunches
ZDNet
