From a High School Network Manager
Some thoughts...
1. To Mr 'Oh ffs' yes we still use microsoft products in school. And whilst the majority of industry does likewise, it will be thus. We have a duty to provide our students with the most relevant skills set for when they leave and move to bigger and better things. Teaching them how to use an OS and Office Package that a tiny proportion of people use does that how?
Yes, I run Xp across the network. Actually it delivers a pretty reasonable solution. But where I dont need it, I use linux. Where its prudent to use linux, we do - web servers, remote access servers etc.
2. When will local government read up on suppliers before placing contracts? We could all have told them it would never work. And thats why I laugh in the face of salespeople who try to undercut my hardware with 'Dell PCs'. But HP and Microsoft proactively support education with education pricings. As a school HP pcs cost me about 300 quid each, and Vista licenses 28 quid each. Which is less than I can pay for anything else decent. With three year onsite warranty that will actually deliver. Not that Ive had to call on it for any of the 80 odd pcs from HP in the last 18 months.
3.The old 'when I was at school' argument is, with all due respect ROT. The three things employers demand from us is Numeracy, Literacy and IT skills. With IT skills forming usually the most important! And it has been long proven that children learn by example better than any other way. So acutally, a data projector is a powerful tool to teach students in the background whilst learning about other subjects. Learning ICT by osmosis.
Isnt that efficient? Isnt that what we are supposed to aim for?