Glad you are trying to get more to use Linux and OSS. However, from my perspective there are some serious issues that should be addressed through education of the educators, parents, PTA, etc. 1) Many schools teach "keyboarding" which is little more than the use of Windows and Word. Often they don't even know of OpenOffice. That is their response to "typing" and "using computers" 2) Many have tight budgets but can get enough for a few "state of the art" computer centers often with Government grants or corporate grants -- lots of shiny computers with shiny copies of Windows and shiny copies of commercial educational software. It really looks good to the PTA. 3) Schools often don't know of the tools available. For example, my son's H/S algebra teacher who has never used, or was not aware of octave, gnuplot, etc. 4) They don't have the staff that are capable of supporting Apple, Windows, and Linux. They can barely support Apple and Windows. 5) Windows can play mp3 audio files, generate videos, comes with Word, Excel, and Powerpoint, and comes with IE, a browser that is supported by most sites (at least this is what it APPEARS like). Other concerns are secondary (like security, flexibility, openness, etc.). 6) Most parents use Windows at home and that is what is on their computer so they can help little Johnny with it at home but they don't know what this lin-ucks stuff is. Some of us have no choice in the matter, for example, I have to use XP for a legacy Canon printer (hence one computer is mainly Windows, the one my oldest son uses most of the time). 7) School boards don't understand technology. In Stafford, VA, they have rule 10 which prohibits any alteration, removal, or erasure of computer programs, data, or software. The rule does not include the word "unauthorized" nor does it address removing LEGAL software or computer data YOU created (for example, little Susie in first grade removing the picture she created to a floppy -- she could be expelled). AFIK, Schools used to get Apple machines (my H/S was one of the first in the country as the then-president of Apple had a brother that graduated there). Now they get whatever they can, often via grants or state programs. Those programs try to get the "best" educational software they can find, but from their perspective, it nearly always means Windows....
