Open your mind, close your wallet!
Mounting costs & tighter budgets = need for creativity!
Bills go up every year, and this year it seems the bills still go up but the funding dries up for education! Worrying tho this my be it is often in tight times like these that people are forced to become more creative.
So, given the huge costs of licenses for Microsoft (and others) software, maybe now is the time to follow the guidance from Becta and look into the benefits of using Open Source Software in your establishment.
What is Open Source Software?
In a nut shell it’s free software, it’s source code is accessable and adaptable, it doesn’t cost to copy, transfer or install accross a network.
Usually developed by like minded creative individuals – although increasingly OSS is being developed by growing IT companies. The government (via Becta) is backing the use of OSS in schools through training, supportive funding and online initiatives. So now is a good time to get into OSS! While the support exists to guide you.
Famous + reputable OSS
Sourceforge (database of OSS – including Education related OSS)
GIMP – Think Adobe photoshop, without the HUGE price tag!
Open Office– Office, tools, functionality, no HUGE site licence costs!
Start your own research into OSS using these links:
You see it’s about inspiring through choice!
Freedom to apply their own methods to answerig our questions
Students like to be presented with a choice! They like to apply their own methods to answering problems we as teachers give them. And Open Source Software along with existing software on your network present students with that opportunity to make a choice in how they approach answering/presenting an answer to a question we pose them. And your budget doesn’t suffer at all!
It’s about inspiring
Staff as well as students like to be given the choice of software, from the interface or the publishing ability of a software programme you can inspire teachers to stretch their own ICT skills, again without adding to your budget!
What do you think? Tempted to try out OSS in your school??
Famous OSS
We soo should have gimp and open office in school. Especially gimp! I use it at home a little and it’s awesome, everytime I use it i always discover something new. Plus Open office is so much easier to open files, i’ve never had a problem with it opening other formats, unlike the .doc files. I’ve found with more open source products its more tailored to what I want. Oh and blender is really cool for graphic rendering!
I’ll agree with you there! OpenOffice is V good, we have it in school but only on the net books – might be worth suffering it’s put on PCs as an alternative to MS Office!
And Gimp is V good ! And a close runner to the costly Adobe product 🙂