1x19: Fedora Murder Trial

I have heard that to really learn Linux, even for a new user, to start with Arch and compile everything. It sounds like a very good idea if that is your goal. And I applaud one who does that. I envy the one who can do that. Me, I lack the time, intelligence and initiative to do so. Especially the time factor. I probably could muddle through, especially with community support (oh, how I love community support. For the most part, it is great). But…

The right to read was an interesteting science fiction story by RIchard Stallman.

Ostensibly, Bryan is helping teh Englishmen speak better English. :slight_smile:

I think in the future the operating system you are using (on desktop, mobile and whatever…) is not that important because most things people are doing nowadays is using services. And services must be made available to access independently from the platform, because that’s what a service is. In my opinion, an ecosystem is just a selling point of the big players. To make a platform successful, you have to support as much services as possible so that users have the free choice of OS and service provider.
The only exception here is apple because they are providing there services (almost) just for apple users.

As an example, I am using Ubuntu on my laptop, SailfishOS on my phone and Windows on my computer at university. An all those I have the same calenders, email-accounts and so on synchronized. There’s nothing I’m missing on any of these platforms.

I’ve read that. It seems extreme and a little paranoid. But that is of course from the perspective of a moment where the consequences of DRM have yet to unfold to their conclusion.

I think this is one area where a little paranoia is a good thing. The free exchange of knowledge in books is really too important to just cross our fingers and hope that things won’t go too badly wrong.

Perhaps there are already programs in the computer science classes, but I would think it would be very good for some entity to sponsor computer science classes (specifically in middle and high schools) that uses Linux. I was thinking specifically of the Raspberry Pi, but it could be any system for that matter. It would be quite the program that, say, in an advanced class, that a student would learn to make a ‘distro’ from the kernel level, including how to make drivers for all the components. Also, if in other courses, if Linux was the os used, then there would be that much more exposure to newer generations. I was thinking that this interest might be sparked, among students, since Steam is heading the Linux way.

I know I’m speaking in ignorance, but that’s the ramblings bouncing in the head.

Mmm. While I see your point, I don’t think I like the precedent. Canonical-sponsored compsci classes sound ok. Monsanto-sponsored biology classes less so. Companies influencing the National Curriculum is (at least here in England) a huge no-no; I think I’d rather keep it that way to keep the evil out, even if I’m denying the good a bit.

I think the key here is the same policy I have for sponsors for the Community Leadership Summit - everyone is welcome to contribute financially to support the event, but it is designed to support the event and not buy advertising or air time. They actually get great airtime but that is because they support the event with the right reasons and intentions and thus I want to paint those companies in a very positive light. :slight_smile:

I think schools and public institutions in general should use open systems. But there seems to be a little trend in that direction. The expired WinXP favours this trend. I do live in Munich where they have that nice LiMux project.

Sure, but the people organising the sponsorship at a high level and deciding how the money is spent (the Secretary of State for Education) and the people actually making use of what the money bought (teachers) are not the same here. I am confident that if BP decided to sponsor environmental science classes in schools, whichever mid-level civil service flunky put together the deal would be full of praise for all the marvellous things it makes possible; equally, however, I am confident that if John Teacher in the secondary school in Hereford thinks that it’s not a good idea, he will not be allowed to say so to his class. It’s a good idea for CLS because the one sorting out the deal (Jono) and the one who has to implement the results (Jono) are the same person :smile:

Good point. How this would not lead to abuse, I have no idea. I was first thinking of an entity similar to the Linux Foundation. But, then, as you said, there would be precedent established.

However, it’s a good thing that public officials are uncorruptible! :smiley:

But there are entities that do try to, and do, influence the educational system, perhaps a Linux educational guideline established in some way?

Totally agree on this.

Look at what they teach in a lot of computer classes: Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Microsoft Office… Hm! I’m wondering why…

Great show guys!

I’m very interested on the last topic you mention about Amazon and the right it has on the book you “loan”. It’s shocking that people who use Amazon a lot (ahem @jonobacon ! ahem) do not know they actually don’t own the book… So a segment would be more than welcome!

That’s actually why I have an ebook reader that can read epub files, and I always make sure the ebooks I buy are DRM-free and not attached to a specific store. Basically, I pay for my *.epub, then send them to my ebook and read them whenever I want.