22.08.08
Back to School With Ubuntu Netbooks
I was asked a rather startling question today. A fourth-grade kid from our neighborhood asked me if his parents should buy him a Linux NetBook to use for school work. My mouth dropped. As usual, it looks like the kids are ahead of the parents when it comes to technology. And perhaps kids in school will be the ones who create more pull — and more consumer demand — for Ubuntu Netbooks.
I know sub-notebooks are now widely available with Ubuntu. But Netbooks? Looks like kids will be lining up to get them.
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The international school where I teach IT part-time is requiring their students to purchase the eeePC 1000 netbook. Though this netbook runs Linspire, I figure that within a week, many of them will switch over to the Ubuntu eeePC version since you can get more software.
Currently the controversy with the eeePC netbook decision is that the parents want their student to use the laptops they already own. In the meantime, the school feels it will be easier to deal with one model type instead of many different laptop models. The reality is that with the eeePC running Linux, a couple of my students and I will be the only ones who know how to use the Linux netbook.
Hi Joe,
Don’t quote me on this but I have heard that the Spanish Government has authorised for Ubuntu Linux to be put on up to 500,000 computers with the Spanish Education Authority for schools.
Ampers
@Kevin: I purchased the eeePC seven inch screen for two of my sons (ages 9 and
and they didn’t have to “learn” Linux. The user interface is as simple as using an ATM (automatic teller machine) at a bank. And my kids never asked “Where’s Windows?” They just ran with Linux and all is well.
@Ampers: I am definitely looking to identify Ubuntu shops that have 100 or more Ubuntu desktops and servers in place.
My sis who’s going into grade 7 is quite fine with computers and both Windows and Linux (and yes, she can tell the difference apart).
She does complain that the windows don’t wobble on school computers and etc., but the school never requested a computer as an explicit (it’s an implicit one, since all of the presentations they need to do and such obviously require one) requirement.
I wish my siblings were like that kid
No the kids don’t need to learn Linux at all. They just pick it up and start using it. My 4 year old nephew sometimes uses my PC which runs Ubuntu and sometimes uses his granddads PC which runs Windows XP Home Edition.
He has no problems moving from one to the other.
I have found that also to be the case in many times with people other than kids. I will pass my Ubuntu laptop over to someone and they will talk about how it is different but not different in a bad way, and they pluck around and pretty well have it figured out in just a few minutes. Then when you explain how the software is installed and maintained I usually get a look of wonder from those used to their windows machines.