| The state of Linux in Maine |
by Jill Ratkevic
David Trask tells DesktopLinux.com that Maine is not the technological backwater state that many might perceive. And Trask, an open source advocate and the Technology Teacher/Coordinator for the Vassalboro Community School should know -- he is leading the charge to bring Linux into Maine's classrooms.
Speaking to a full house last Thursday, Trask hosted a full-day seminar for area educational technologists and principals anxious to learn how to move their computer systems from proprietary technologies to open source Linux, on servers and the desktop. High costs and licensing restrictions are key reasons educators are considering a switch. But Trask notes that is not the only reason. "Stability, ease of use, and ease of management all drove me to Linux," he adds. His school saved $5,000 this year alone in licensing fees to Microsoft with a move to open source.
David Trask's Linux seminar was coordinated by Sharon Betts, the Technology Director for the Kennebunk School Dept. as well as the secretary for the Association of Computer Technology Educators of Maine (ACTEM). Betts approached Trask to host the event and share his experience and expert advice to demonstrate to state educators that Linux is a full featured and less expensive proposition than Microsoft.
"In Kennebunk / Kennebunkport schools we have great community support for technology. And yet, the high tax base and influx of students has made the Microsoft solution too expensive. We are planning a migration to the Linux platform over the next few years. Next year we plan to go to OpenOffice.org and switch the servers to the new platform. We are studying use of Linux Terminal Project in our new K-3 school which will open in the Fall of 2004," reports Sharon Betts. "By making these changes, we can continue to offer our students an exemplary foundation in technology without the expensive licensing fees. David Trask and many other technology educators in Maine have established a ring of support. It is fantastic to work with people willing to look to the future together."
Attendees of the program were enthusiastic after the day-long presentation. "Many are now realizing that Linux is the the way to go as we can no longer afford hefty prices for server products and the like. Many people left with the attitude 'I'm gonna' finally do it!'," enthused Trask.
Trey Bachner, Technology Director for Falmouth Schools is including Linux as part of his District's new technology plan. "Over the next 3 years we will be migrating all of our Win2K desktops to Linux and implementing a terminal server in at least one of our labs," Bachner notes.
Maine is not a wealthy state. It is facing budget cuts and looking for ways to reduce educational spending. In fact, Trask reports that George Bush's hometown of Kennebunk is facing a cash crunch that could force that school district to move away from paying hefty fees for Microsoft licenses, and instead install Linux on the desktop.
Despite costs, the state has implemented programs that demonstrate a commitment to technology in education that is unrivaled. Every Maine seventh grader in the state is armed with a laptop provided by the Maine Learning and Technology Initiative -- and eighth graders will be get their own Apple iBook next. The laptops run MacOS X and have familiarized the students with both the Mac operating system as well as a *nix evironment at the same time.
Open source efforts in the state are fueled by grassroots efforts and the hard work of pioneers like David Trask. Maine currently has no high-profile legislative efforts to exact change like Oregon, Texas and Rhode Island are proposing. Maine initiatives, including the laptop project, have been driven by a need for more efficiency and less expensive solutions. "That's where Linux comes in," says Trask. "Maine has been quick to embrace Linux and many schools are setting up server solutions based on it. Some are now even beginning to roll out Linux Terminal networks. Derek Dresser, Technology Director of Gould Academy private school in the ski country of Maine, is running LTSP campus-wide and hosted a similar seminar a few weeks ago."
Trask's Linux solution
So how does David Trask use Linux in his district? A couple of different ways. "I have a Linux file server which is running E-Smith/SME server. This server is the primary authentication point for the network as well as the server where all users store files in their home directories. It is my primary domain controller for the Windows side of my network and provides roaming profiles for Windows XP Pro. I also run an E-Smith server as a proxy server and an internet content filter using DansGuardian." Lastly, Trask utilizes the K-12 Linux Terminal Server K12LTSP enables users to run older hardware or even dedicated thin clients as terminals running Linux. Vassalboro Community School has deployed Red Hat 8.0 along with education programs and applications on desktops, using OpenOffice.org as the primary Office suite.
Trask's advice is not to force Linux on anyone--especially on the desktop. "Servers aren't a big issue since the end user never sees the difference except for the increased uptime. When I was introducing the Linux Terminals, I put a kiosk in the hallway and invited folks to log in a play with it." A few weeks later he solicited interested teachers who expressed they may want to try Linux in their classroom. "Once you do that, they see what others are doing and it begins to spread and grow. My best advice though, don't worry about the kids . . . worry about the adults."
The easiest part of the migration according to Trask was setting up the E-Smith server. He notes that it "is probably the easiest server I've ever set up . . . it takes only a half hour to completely configure and works really well. Setting up K12LTSP was pretty easy too." Even getting the kids hooked on Linux was very easy, added Trask.
"The students move effortlessly...they love Linux -- 'it's cool.' Convincing the staff that they can function in Linux just as they do in Windows does take time," Trask said. He provides his staff with a Linux box along with their Windows box to help ease the transition. Then he weans them off Windows gradually.
As to whether education is ready for Desktop Linux, and vice-versa, Trask says, "Yes . . . and no. Linux is making fantastic strides in this area. I feel it's ready, but adoption may be slow. The fact that the kids at my school like Linux more than Windows XP attests to the fact that Linux has arrived. And products like Lindows, Xandros, and Lycoris are making Linux much friendlier for the end user."
Today companies marketing Desktop Linux compare their OS, applications, and user interface to Microsoft. Does this help or hinder Linux's acceptance by end users? Trask says that compatibility is a must. "OpenOffice.org helps us bridge the gap between MS Office on Windows and Linux. The different interfaces strive to make Linux easy to use. We use IceWm as our Window manager and have tweaked it to provide a somewhat Windows-like experience while still maintaining differences that make Linux intriguing. I think the familiarity [with Windows] does help, but sometimes the differences can also make something attractive to users."
David Trask started using Linux a few years back while looking for an easier solution for DHCP. He notes, "I stumbled upon Freesco which is a floppy based Linux distro that serves as a firewall and DHCP server. The success and simplicity of it won me over. I began to actively seek other Linux opportunities." After hashing out the pros and cons of moving the school district to Linux with Vassalboro's principal, who told Trask that the advantages to using E-Smith alone was overwhelming, they jumped in and never looked back. "Experimenting, researching Linux on the Internet and participating in 'listservs' has only fueled my passion to try new programs and discover more cool stuff."
And he is not alone. After introducing one colleague in a neighboring school to Linux this year, he told Trask "It's nice to be excited about something in this job again. I love the people I've met working with Linux!"
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