Dear Mr. Swamy, This is a wonderful observation and a nice initiative from your part.
>________________________________ > From: Sony Krishna Swamy <[email protected]> >To: [email protected] >Sent: Monday, 30 January 2012 11:51 PM >Subject: [ILUG-Cochin.org] Practicallly reaching Linux to the world > >I am a visiting faculty at various MBA institutes in Kochi, and I am >disappointed to know that my students have never heard of Linux (or anything >non-Windows). When I did my MBA I literally had to fight with my HoD to run a laptop on Linux. He was of the opinion that anything other than "college-sponsored" OS would get me into trouble with my dissertations, assignments and even preparing the final project. I did not. He was proven wrong. > >I tried encouraging them to install Linux, but the roadblocks they face in >that one task deflects them away from this great OS. > >However, they were comfortable with using Ubuntu Linux, once they see how to >go about things. > Yes, Ubuntu is one comfortable option. Even back in 2006, it was ready to rock. One trouble I had was in Operations Research class where we had do do assignments in SPSS. They had a version for *nix but it was 2-3 versions down from the Windows one. Luckily, for now, SPSS has been acquired by IBM, and they roll out a Linux/Solaris/*nix one as well. >So my question is this: Can we form a group that helps people INSTALL a >flavour of Linux? > I would also recommend a real "education" to the so-called faculties. Many of whom are guest lecturers. Without educating or convincing them of the advantages of an open system, I would say the coming generation would be in the clutches of Redmond for years to come. One of the argument I often faced was, if you go work for a company, how would you work there if all they work on is Windows. My reply was that I wouldn't opt to work for such an inflexible company, to which I was thrown out of class ;) [Truth be told, I'm not as rebel minded as I was back in college. I work on an XP machine daily, albeit less happily. But the company luckily let me type on Dvorak. Phew!] >It is my understanding that this group stands to promote the use of Linux OS >among people. I believe that students are a base where we can start from, so >that they can make the change at their workplaces, other institutions, when >they start a business, at their homes, and so on. This group advocates Free/Open software, not just GNU/Linux, as many of fellow FOSS aficionados have already pointed out. Also, should you choose to have such a class/seminar, do include the faculty to attend and encourage them to raise questions/doubts. Contrary to the basic idea of getting an MBA, very few institutions over here let the students be entrepreneurial or use their own ideas/methodologies. Often they are strictly told to follow the flock, stick to the conventional norms or be cast out (YMMV). Best wishes for all your endeavours! Regards, Mahesh Aravind _______________________________________________ Indian Libre User Group Cochin Mailing List http://www.ilug-cochin.org/mailing-list/ http://mail.ilug-cochin.org/mailman/listinfo/mailinglist_ilug-cochin.org #[email protected]
