OpenClassroom - Free GNU/Linux distribution for Education.
Aug 5th, 23:42 UTC
The
OpenClassroom Initiative is developing a GNU/Linux-based
disribution focused on the educational market. The OpenClassroom toolset will be available free of charge,
with no usage restrictions, and including the full source code
to all the bundled software. Our toolset includes:
- server and client software
- complete documentation, including easy-to-use manuals
- expertise and value-added services
Why targeting the educational market?
- The challenge for educational institutions and governments is to offer their students access to updated ICTs (Information and Communication Technology) in order to make education relevant in today's Digital Economy.
- The educational market's willingness and ability to pay per-user license fees is decresing. This presents a tremendous opportunity for an OpenSource solution like OpenClassroom`s.
The OpenClassroom Server is based on GNU/Linux and OpenSource
packages that deliver specialized functionality such as:
- Content Filtering
- Grading
- Back-office applications
- K12 Admin functionality
- Mailing list management software
- Publicly-available content (Project Gutenberg, etc.)
Why using GNU/Linux and OpenSource?
- For many countries, especially developing nations, commercial software is very expensive. Using GNU/Linux and OpenSource software, those countries can download the software, modify it to suit their needs, make unlimited copies, and no hard currency flows out of their countries.
- By following the OpenSource model we will be able to offer our target market the most cost-effective (not just FREE) solution to their challenges.
- By making our toolset freely available it will be widely distributed and installed quicker and thus deliver a larger user base than would otherwise be the case should we have not followed the OpenSource model.
The OpenClassroom Server is not dependent on any specific type of client PC and will
work with any modern PC: Windows 95, 98, NT, any flavor of UNIX and recent Macintosh systems.
In addition to the Server, we also offer the OpenClassroom Client for users of older PCs
(down to 386s, and old Macs). The OpenClassroom Client is provided by a partner initiative,
The Volks-PC Initiative. For more details please visit http://www.volks-pc.org).
So, what happens if these OpenClassroom folks go out of business? All our work will be OpenSource and publicly available under the GPL. If we fail, other members of the OpenSource community can pick up where we left and continue this initiative. This scenario (taking the baton from a fallen or stalled OpenSource group) has been played out before (successfully) in the OpenSource community.
You can find a brief summary of who we are, and
what we want to achieve in
PDF format from our website.
For a more technical look, please check
http://www.openclassroom.org/developers
Please direct any further queries to
Brendon Grunewald, Chief Rainmaker, or to
Jose C. Lacal, Chief Vision Officer.
(Submitted by Jose C. Lacal of OpenClassroom Initiative)
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