No software is free and spreading that misconception is ha..

This morning I saw something rather troubling, a one liner on a forum,
so I clicked the link, ended up at a blog at
http://linuxlock.blogspot.com/2008/12/linux-stop-holding-our-kids-back.html

Since the blog is rather long, I'll quote just the essential part :

Linux - Stop holding our kids back

This blog is momentarily interrupted to bring you a snippet of
recently received email.

"...observed one of my students with a group of other children
gathered around his laptop. Upon looking at his computer, I saw he was
giving a demonstration of some sort. The student was showing the
ability of the laptop and handing out Linux disks. After confiscating
the disks I called a confrence with the student and that is how I came
to discover you and your organization. Mr. Starks, I am sure you
strongly believe in what you are doing but I cannot either support
your efforts or allow them to happen in my classroom. At this point, I
am not sure what you are doing is legal. No software is free and
spreading that misconception is harmful. These children look up to
adults for guidance and discipline. I will research this as time
allows and I want to assure you, if you are doing anything illegal, I
will pursue charges as the law allows. Mr. Starks, I along with many
others tried Linux during college and I assure you, the claims you
make are grossly over-stated and hinge on falsehoods. I admire your
attempts in getting computers in the hands of disadvantaged people but
putting linux on these machines is holding our kids back.

This is a world where Windows runs on virtually every computer and
putting on a carnival show for an operating system is not helping
these children at all. I am sure if you contacted Microsoft, they
would be more than happy to supply you with copies of an older verison
of Windows and that way, your computers would actually be of service
to those receiving them..."

Karen xxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxx Middle School
AISD

On 12/28/2008 05:47 PM, Penang sent:
> This morning I saw something rather troubling, a one liner on a forum,
> so I clicked the link, ended up at a blog at
> http://linuxlock.blogspot.com/2008/12/linux-stop-holding-our-kids-back.html
>
> Since the blog is rather long, I'll quote just the essential part :
>
> Linux - Stop holding our kids back
>
> This blog is momentarily interrupted to bring you a snippet of
> recently received email.
>
> "...observed one of my students with a group of other children
> gathered around his laptop. Upon looking at his computer, I saw he was
> giving a demonstration of some sort. The student was showing the
> ability of the laptop and handing out Linux disks. After confiscating
> the disks I called a confrence with the student and that is how I came
> to discover you and your organization. Mr. Starks, I am sure you
> strongly believe in what you are doing but I cannot either support
> your efforts or allow them to happen in my classroom. At this point, I
> am not sure what you are doing is legal. No software is free and
> spreading that misconception is harmful. These children look up to
> adults for guidance and discipline. I will research this as time
> allows and I want to assure you, if you are doing anything illegal, I
> will pursue charges as the law allows. Mr. Starks, I along with many
> others tried Linux during college and I assure you, the claims you
> make are grossly over-stated and hinge on falsehoods. I admire your
> attempts in getting computers in the hands of disadvantaged people but
> putting linux on these machines is holding our kids back.
>
> This is a world where Windows runs on virtually every computer and
> putting on a carnival show for an operating system is not helping
> these children at all. I am sure if you contacted Microsoft, they
> would be more than happy to supply you with copies of an older verison
> of Windows and that way, your computers would actually be of service
> to those receiving them..."
>
> Karen xxxxxxxxx
> xxxxxxxxx Middle School
> AISD

This started about three weeks ago. The teacher is from an Austin,
Texas USA school. It's interesting if you follow what has occurred
since.

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1PW @?6A62?FEH9:DE=6o2@=]4@> [r4o7t]