Free, Open Source Software Trying to Surface in Schools
The Nashville Tech Story (9/21/2009)
During this tough economic time, it is sometimes forgotten that public school systems can be hit relatively hard, and a large chunk of funding comes from public tax dollars. Schools are constantly looking for ways to upgrade their tools, but find it difficult since budgets are typically small. One way to cut spending is for schools to explore open source solutions. Open source is low cost and can provide better quality, reliability and can allow for more flexibility.
For years, schools have been toying with the idea of moving to Free, Open Source Software (FOSS), but only recently, has FOSS evolved to the point where it is a viable option for schools. FOSS is defined by Wikipedia as “software that is licensed to grant the right of users to study, change, and improve its design through the availability of its source code.” Many schools, including those in the Middle Tennessee region, have explored the FOSS possibility, but multiple obstacles have surfaced.
FOSS implementation can be tricky because of software packages currently in place, which are essential to schools. For example, Capita-Sims.net is a management information software package that is currently installed in approximately 80% of schools. The package, which runs on a Windows Server has a client requiring a Windows desktop. There is also the difficulty of re-training teachers that have current programs already embedded in their daily routine
While FOSS seems like a great idea to reduce spending, it may be difficult to implement into schools based on the amount of time and money that would be required for planning and large amounts of training.
Tags: capita-sims, FOSS, free open source software, technology council
