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\title{Free software in education, successes and failures}
\author{Hilaire Fernandes}
\institute{CRDP Aquitaine - OFSET}
\date{Fall 2005}

\begin{document}

\begin{frame}
  \titlepage
\end{frame}

\section*{Contents}
\frame{\tableofcontents}

\section{A brief history of free software}
\subsection{How started the GNU project}
\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{Richard Stallman at MIT AI Lab, 1984}
  \begin{itemize}
    \item Until that time third party software was distributed in source code form
      \pause
    \item A necessity to fix third party code and share it
      \pause
    \item However at this time, software started to be distributed in
      \alert{binary only} form \pause
    \item A problem for software engineer capable to fix bugs in third
      party software
   \end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Birth of the GNU project, 1984}
  \begin{itemize}
  \item Write a complete UNIX clone system totally free
    \pause
  \item A system where user can:
    \begin{enumerate}
      \item share the system with other users
        \pause
      \item study the system
        \pause
      \item modify and fix the system
        \pause
      \item distribute the system, modified or not
    \end{enumerate}
  \end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{The GNU General Public License, the legal frame}
  \begin{itemize}
    \item Secure the freeness of the GNU project
    \item Avoid proprietary software to take advantage of the GPL free software
    \item Encourage the collaboration between developers
  \end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{Design of the first components}
  All the component necessary for an Unix like OS:
  \begin{itemize}
  \item Shell, Bash
  \item C compiler, GCC
  \item Debugger, GDB
  \item Editor, Emacs
  \item Standard C library, Glib
  \end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{The important missing part, the kernel}
  \begin{itemize}
    \item In 1991, Linus Torvald (21 at this time), started to write a kernel;
    \item It was the missing part of the GNU project
    \item Merged with the GNU project it forms the GNU-Linux operating system
  \end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\subsection{GNU and its users}
\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{GNU, a software engineer project}
    The first users of the GNU project were software engineers:
    \begin{itemize}
    \item It helps to bootstrap it
    \item They were able to fix bugs and to write additional components
    \end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{GNU, a newbie operating system}
  Now grandma, grandpa and newbie can take advantage of the GNU-Linux desktop.  It is the perfect OS for simple Internet, mail and word processing:
  \begin{itemize}
  \item Fast
  \item Reliable
  \item Virus free
  \item To summarise: \alert{TROUBLE LESS}
  \item It also run very well on not very new computer (4 years old)
  \end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{GNU and free software at school}
  \begin{itemize}
  \item GNU-Linux in the server side
  \item GNU-Linux in the workstation side
  \item Free software with non free OS
  \end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\section{GNU-Linux in the server side}
\subsection{The facts}
\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{The key elements}
  GNU-Linux has the following features
  \begin{itemize}
  \item It is an UNIX clone, therefore designed for network and multi-process
  \item It attracts software developers to write cross-UNIX software like Samba:
    \begin{enumerate}
      \item it is a Microsoft Windows server \emph{emulator}
      \item without the seat cost
      \item as usual it is \alert{highly} customisable to be adapted
        to the specific needs of the users
        \item it is well documented
        \item there are a lot of support from the Internet
    \end{enumerate}
  \end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{GNU-Linux and Samba} 
    In the '90s, GNU-Linux with Samba attracted a lot of school
  administrators to give a try, as a consequences:
  \begin{itemize}
  \item A lot of different solutions were packaged as server side
    GNU-Linux distribution for school
  \item GNU-Linux played an important role in the raise of the
    Internet age in school (at least in France)
  \item These distributions were shipped with other free software components as: 
    \begin{itemize}
    \item proxy \& filtering system
    \item user administration tools
    \item print \& file sharing system
    \item mail and intranet services
    \end{itemize}
  \end{itemize}
\end{frame}


\subsection{A few examples}
\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{Situation}
  In France several specific server side GNU-Linux distributions for
  school are \alert{developed and supported by governmental agencies}.
  The same is true in other countries.

\vspace{1cm}

{\Large Let's look at a few examples...}
\end{frame}


\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{Pingoo distribution}
  \url{http://www.pingoo.org}
  \begin{itemize}
  \item Developed and supported by the local government of
    Haute-Savoie -- \url{http://www.cg74.org}
  \item Deployed in hundred of primary, junior high schools, town
    halls, tourism offices
  \item Administered and updated remotely form the computer resource
    centre -- \url{http://www.cri74.org}
    \item An Internet and Intranet server
  \end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{SLIS distribution}
  \url{http://www.ac-grenoble.fr/carmi-internet/slis/}
  \begin{itemize}
  \item Developed and supported by Grenoble academia agency --
    \url{http://www.ac-grenoble.fr}
    \item Deployed in more than 700 schools in this area
    \item It is only a router and communication server with filtering capabilities
\end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{EOLE distribution}
  \url{http://eole.orion.education.fr}
  \begin{itemize}
  \item Directly supported by the French education Office.
  \item \alert{6000} officially installed servers in junior and senior
    high schools! \\
    See this map: \url{http://eole.orion.education.fr/carte.html}
  \item A modular server solution ranging from a minimal
    communication server to a complete intranet solution
  \end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{SambaEdu}
  \url{http://www.crdp.ac-caen.fr/se3/}

  Supported by the CRDP of Normandy. It is part of the SCEREN/CNDP
  network -- \url{http://www.sceren.fr} -- a national agency related
  to ICT and pedagogical resources.
\end{frame}

\subsection{Key aspects}
\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{Common characteristics}
  These solutions share a lot of aspects:
  \begin{itemize}
    \item Administration of the server is centralised
    \item No or little local administration at the school level is expected
    \item Cover the same functionalities: at minimum a Internet-LAN
      router up to a drop-in replacement to a Windows server with file
      and printing sharing services
    \item Workstations are expected to be Windows ones
  \end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{Why these deployments are successful?}
  \begin{itemize}
    \item The distributions are designed for a limited scope
    \item The deployments are carefully planed, with the assorted
      needed human resources
    \item No specific local school knowledge is required, the
      installed server are like black box which can not be accessed
     \item The proposed functionalities are limited 
     \item Possibilities of extension are low, in most case only software update
     \item The workstations are Windows ones, the user behaviour is not disturbed
  \end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\section{GNU-Linux in the workstation side}
\subsection{The facts}
\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{The key elements}
  \begin{itemize}
    \item Important progresses in the workstation side in the recent year
    \item GNU-Linux in the workstation side is a lot of change for the user
    \item Need appropriate support for the end user
  \end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{GNU-Linux desktop}
  With the recent improvements of the GNU-Linux desktop (mainly Gnome and KDE):
  \begin{itemize}
  \item GNU-Linux is more and more user friendly
  \item Traditional high tech corporations are supporting the rise of
    the GNU-Linux desktop (SUN, IBM, HP, Troll Tech,...)
  \item New distributions, desktop oriented for schools are emerging
  \end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{Situation} 
  Although GNU-Linux in the workstation side is
  a much bigger challenge, some pioneers started to promote this
  approach in the late '90s.

  \vspace{1cm}

  {\Large Let's look at a few examples... }
\end{frame}

\subsection{A few examples}

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{AbulEdu}
  \url{http://www.abuledu.org}
  \begin{itemize}
    \item At first a community project from France, Bordeaux
    \item A thin client server with communication capabilities 
    \item Became a corporate solution -- \url{http://www.abuledu.com}
      -- provided only through purchased servers
    \item Estimate user base around 30000
    \item Mostly not supported by the public institution
  \end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{Debian-Edu}
  \url{http://www.skolelinux.org}
  \begin{itemize}
  \item A community project, emerged from Norway, and now attached to
    Debian
    \item A thin client server with communication capabilities 
    \item 141 registered schools using it
    \item Supported by some NGO from Norway
  \end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{Linex and Guadalinex}
  \url{http://www.linex.org} \& \url{http://www.guadalinex.org}
  \begin{itemize}
  \item Public supported projects by the local governments of
    Extremadura and Andalucia in Spain.
  \item Supported by the European Union as well
  \item Not a thin client solution but a classic distribution for
    desktop
  \item Equip the computer of schools and public offices of these two
    regions
  \item Very large deployment, more than 100k computers
  \item Worth to read \alert{\url{http://observatorio.ofset.org}}, a spanish
    analysis of the libre software in education
  \end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\subsection{Key aspects}

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{Initiative forms}
  There are mainly two project categories:
  \pause
  \begin{itemize}
  \item One relying on private volunteer resources to develop, to
    install, to maintain and to train the users: 
    \begin{itemize}
    \item not alway very reliable in the long term because it depends
      on volunteer resources
    \item Good to bootstrap new project, indeed the first GNU-Linux
      desktop project for schools where volunteer ones.
    \end{itemize}
    \pause
    \item The other one relying on institutional support:
      \begin{itemize}
        \item slower to start
        \item more reliable on the long term
        \item as the deployments are generally bigger it forces
          uniformity in the GNU-Linux desktop bazaar
          \item \emph{may} help to bootstrap a local ICT economy
      \end{itemize}
  \end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}
\frametitle{The desktop issue}
The GNU-Linux desktop is facing important issues:
\begin{itemize}
  \item multitude of desktops
  \item tenth of widget  \emph{vendors}
  \item there is a lot of stress on the user to
    understand the different graphic user interface paradigms
  \item To save a file, depending on the applications, a user may face
    8 different dialog layouts.
  \item \alert{Worst!} This problem is endemic to GNU-Linux.
\end{itemize}
Nevertheless, as the Gnome and KDE desktop are emerging as the major
desktops for GNU-Linux, it forces for aggregation and attract the
developers. There is hope, but a lot will stay off the road!
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{The risks of the GNU-Linux desktop} 
    \textbf{A fact:} In France, several public institutions are supporting server
    side projects but \emph{none} for the desktop.
  \begin{itemize}
    \item User may reject the GNU-Linux desktop
    \item Knowledge about the know-how and how-to is not as common as
      the Windows one
    \item Support for developing, installing and training is not common
    \item Educational software vendors are Windows oriented,
      politically the GNU-Linux desktop at school adds more pressure
    \item Fewer \& poorer educational oriented software
    \item The development model for \alert{free educational software}
      has still to be invented
  \end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\section{Free software with non free OS}

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{The pragmatic way}
\begin{itemize}
\item When you can't promote the use of the GNU-Linux desktop,
  promoting free software on non free operating system is an easier
  way: there are tenth of cd-rom cd-roms ready to be distributed.
  \item Nevertheless, be ready to face negative reactions: not everyone
  cherish freedom or respect copyright.
\item In my local area, where notebooks are distributed to each junior
  high school student, I successfully promoted the shipment of The
  Gimp, Dia, Audacity and Squeak in top of OpenOffice.org, Mozilla.
\end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\section{Conclusion}

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{An incontrollable growth} 
  Like it or not, the free software movement will last and keep
  growing:
  \pause
  \begin{itemize}
  \item It is playing in a different socio-economic arena: the dirty
    tricks to control the market do not wok with it. Even the remoted
    SCO attempted failed!
    \pause
  \item It is a bug fix of the monopoly situation in the market
    \pause
  \item It is about liberalism! As the economic liberalism has boosted the XIXs and XXs economy, the free software is and will boost ICT because it is adaptive and un-conservative
\pause
    \item Big players are massively adopting it: IBM, Boeing, UPS,...
  \end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{The move in the education}
  \begin{itemize}
  \item Several geographic areas are massively adopting the GNU-Linux desktop. It is interesting to examine the evolution of these projects..
  \item \textbf{Ubuntu} and its educational variant \textbf{Edubuntu}
    enters the education market. \\
    If Edubuntu reaches the Ubuntu level of excellence, this
    distribution will boost the penetration of the GNU-Linux desktop
    in schools.
  \item Nevertheless, the educational institutions are very often
    conservative -- lack of internal competences on the matter -- so
    the shift will be slow.
  \end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\end{document}