[vox-outreach] [fwd] [school-discuss] Presentation for local SD

[Bill Kendrick]

Some tips WE can use when promoting Linux & other open source :)


----- Forwarded message from Richard Andrews -----

Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:14:16 +1000 (EST)
From: Richard Andrews
Subject: Re: [school-discuss] Presentation for local SD
To: schoolforge-discuss at schoolforge.net

You might be interested in http://openeducation.org.au - there's some work done
there on how FOSS applications can fill curriculum needs (Victoria, Australia).

I've been keeping notes on presenting in schools here:

http://openeducation.org.au/wiki/index.php/Linux_For_Education_Institutions#Selling_Linux_and_Open_Source

To summarise (so discussions can occur on list)


Suggested guideline for spoken and written communications

    * Don't dwell on zero cost, it makes FOSS look flimsy
    * Focus on the applications and show what they can do
    * Use the term Open Source in preference to FOSS or Free Software
          o FOSS is more correct but only use it with other geeks
          o Free Software has the word free, see zero-cost above 
    * Present applications by name and short description
          o FOSS project names tend to be quirky or in-jokes, not appreciated
          o Providing a three word descriptive title will drive home the
purpose of the package 
    * Open Source software is reliable
    * It's built by communities as a labour of love
          o The developers take pride in what they have created and will show
you how to get the most out of it
          o The developers use the software themselves so the software will
work well 
    * Open Source communities are powerful
          o Open Source people are about helping one another
          o Open Source schools are forming their own communities to help one
another
          o Schools can share Open Source programs with each other any time 
    * Open Source is about sharing knowledge and educating the user
          o Teach programming by taking an already working program and
modifying it
                + More immediate gratification to students
                + Not as hard to get into programming
                + Open Source programs are written so they are easy to modify
by anyone who wants to 
    * Open Source Software has no licensing headaches
          o You can legally copy it as many times as you want (you are
encouraged to do so)
          o If you find a good program give it to your colleagues
          o You will never be committing piracy 

----- End forwarded message -----

-- 
-bill!
bill at newbreedsoftware.com
http://www.newbreedsoftware.com/