New Open Source Article

[Cyndi Danner-Kuhn]

This is an article that was in an eNewsletter just today (Tuesday-June 12), so I though I would send it along since it is about using Open Source in schools and by teachers.

It's Time to Consider Open Source Software, Part 1
http://www.linuxinsider.com/story/57759.html

Free software gives everyone the freedom to run, study, change and redistribute software. It is these freedoms, not the price, that is important about free software. Free software advocates make the distinction between free, as in speech, as opposed to free, as in beer. Though many people would gladly accept a free beer, it is not one of the fundamental principles of democracy.

It's Time to Consider Open Source Software, Part 2
http://www.linuxinsider.com/story/57760.html

Training teachers and students to use a piece of software makes that software more valuable. Vendors know this. Business sense, not altruism, is what drives deep discounts on software for education. I once spoke to a vendor of an online grade book who, upon learning that I train teachers, was very interested in my using it in my classes.