Challenge to school software

By RICHARD WOOD

A Christchurch firm is to challenge Microsoft by targeting school desktop computers with free software.

Smart Computer Systems is at the forefront of introducing open source software-based servers into school IT back rooms.

Manager Stephen Fergusson claims a foothold of around 8 per cent of the school market, or 160 installations, for its Smart-Net Linux server.

The server provides file and print services, email, internet, intranet, firewall, web filtering and proxy services using a combination of open source software and the firm's own web-based management tools.

Just back from the LinuxWorld Conference and Expo in San Francisco, Fergusson said schools could save $200 a Machine by buying them without Windows operating systems and installing Linux and open source desktop software.

But Douglas Harre, ICT strategy unit senior consultant Ministry of Education, said "there is no groundswell" favouring open source applications in education and overall savings would not be significant.

Harre is on the team renegotiating the two-year, $10 million school deal with Microsoft that is due to expire at the end of the year.

He said there was no requirement or curriculum document that forced schools to use Microsoft software, but feedback from schools had been positive and Microsoft software was in use in over 90 per cent of cases.

Harre said in terms of applications in use in schools, Microsoft supplied Encarta encyclopedia, Publisher desktop publishing, and Front Page web design software.

There was also a range of specialised educational software at present in use in schools for Windows, Apple Macintosh and Acorn.

"There are some basic educational programs available for Linux, but nothing of the sophistication of the best applications currently available on the other platforms such as Inspiration, Kid Pix, and Crocodile Clips," he said.

Harre said the potential $200 saving per PC by using Linux instead of a Windows operating system would not make a huge difference overall.

But schools were often offered ex-lease machines without an operating system on them, he said, and they might be candidates for Linux because of the cost of adding Windows to such machines.

The ministry was testing open source desktop software, and Open Source applications that ran on Windows were being used in schools.