--- In linux_schools@..., "Mahesh T. Pai"
<paivakil@v...> wrote:
> dmartyris said on Sun, Apr 11, 2004 at 11:57:33PM +0000,:
>
> > Anyone on this list from Kerala. I know that there are about a
> > dozen schools there running LTSP as well.
>
> `A dozen' is too few. About 200 schools in Malappuram district
> installed GNU/Linux. The driving force behind this initiative, AFAIK,
> is one Mr. Sujeevan P, of an organisation called IIRC, S2S2.
>
> Will ask him ot signup on this list.

Then Kerala is leading in Free Software and Open source front.

200 schools multiplied by 100 students on an average gives 20 thousand
GNU/Linux users.

Children are very curious and fast in experimenting and learning new
things.When they go home and talk about it, the elders also will be
automatically interested in checking what this software is.Similarly
the Engineering students will start getting interest in Free Softwares.

It is very difficult go to Engineering colleges and convince them to
use Free Software . Most of the colleges dont want to experiment with
new things. Also since they are used to the Windows environment, they
will find it uncomfortable to use GNU/Linux. It is not the fault of
Windows or greatness of Windows. It is human tendency to resist new
things or change.Therefore the best way to increase the user base of
GNU/Linux is to introduce it at the school level.

In Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh there are only the private schools to
harvest as the government ones have been captured by Microsoft.


Cheers
Herald.