<div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; ">Rick,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; line-height: normal; ">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; color: windowtext; "> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; line-height: normal; ">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; ">I'm brand new to the Annapolis LUG and only recently returned to Linux. More than 20 years ago I played briefly with Unix, before DOS shifted me towards the Windows wave.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; line-height: normal; ">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; "> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; ">Over the past several years, I have been working with a program through the Archdiocese of Baltimore that sisters local churches with churches in Haiti. As part of this effort, our Church sent a preliminary computer lab to a school in Haiti that consisted of refurbished Windows 98 machines and software. We were able to deliver and setup a networked 20-computer lab, with tons of spare parts for less than $270 a computer. The electrical power worked, the local town accepted it, and some students were given an opportunity to put their hands on a computer for the first time.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; "> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; line-height: normal; ">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; ">But, this was an experiment, and so far, a successful one. Now it is time to think about the future, and a replacement lab. This is where Linux comes into the picture. The fundamental question being explored by our group right now, is it better for the long-term education of the Haitian children to send an established commercial computer environment like Microsoft or Apple, or would it be more beneficial to send open-source based systems? For a basic computer experience and entry level knowledge, it probably does not make a difference, and certainly Windows in particular is well established in Haiti. But as far as a global education and the possibility to look under the “OS hood” (so to speak) and understand some of the more fundamental aspects of a computer, an open source system has much to be desired.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; "> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; line-height: normal; ">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; ">India is a good example of the benefits of technology for a poorer country. India by luck followed a wave of blooming technology from a more open attitude before Windows to a fully proprietary and dominant current reality. Should Haiti be offered the same openness? These are the things that are bringing me back to Linux, and Ubuntu and Fedora in particular.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; "> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; line-height: normal; ">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; ">Hope this adds to you endeavor, at least from my personal take and novice understanding.<span> </span>I’ll be glad to discuss this more if desired.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; line-height: normal; ">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; "><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; ">Thanks and please Remember Haiti.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; ">Bill</span></p></div><div><br><br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Dec 29, 2010 at 9:58 AM, Rick Wonders <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:rick.wonders@reliabledigitalworld.com" target="_blank">rick.wonders@reliabledigitalworld.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Hi Folks,<br>
<br>
My name is Rick Wonders, and I compose an Internet Business column for<br>
the Baltimore Examiner. I am also a proponent of Linux as a desktop<br>
alternative to Windows and Mac. As such, I am working on an article<br>
featuring local Linux User Groups, and would like to include Annapolis<br>
in the article.<br>
<br>
If any users would like to send me some information, such as whether<br>
most of your members are IT professionals, or just people like myself,<br>
who use Linux, I would appreciate any input.<br>
<br>
Thank all in advance for any help you can give.<br>
<br>
Sincerely,<br>
<br>
Rick Wonders<br>
<a href="mailto:rick.wonders@reliabledigitalworld.com" target="_blank">rick.wonders@reliabledigitalworld.com</a><br>
<br>
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</blockquote></div><br></div>