# Kerala's Schools to Use Only Linux



## Dark Star (Mar 9, 2008)

_Kerala will become the first state in India to completely switch from Microsoft Windows to only GNU/Linux free software to be used in the mandatory IT test at the state SSLC examinations._

Until last year, the students could take the test either by using
Windows or Linux. From now on, the use of GNU/Linux free software will be compulsory, because the state government ordered so a few weeks ago. Now, in IT education, high school students will use the new Linux text books created by the State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and the Free Software Foundation from India.

All the high schools in Kerala will have high-speed broadband Internet connections by this July, by using free software. Education Minister M. A. Baby said: 

The big cost of maintaining the massive Windows-based infrastructure seems to be the main reason behind completely abandoning Windows solutions and moving to Linux applications.

Last year, the Left Government vowed to use only free, open-source software in every project they might create, and declared it would motivate – by using funds, I think – companies developing free software. A senior state IT official said: 

These two words "freedom" and "compulsory" don't get along too well, from my point of view. By forcing the students to use ONLY free and open-source applications will just turn out to be a bad idea. Of course, there will be a few persons who might like the idea, but this will scare everyone else. No one can force knowledge in someone's mind, that's why only some of the students, let's say a mere 20-30 percent of them, will be fully interested in Linux, while the others will consider learning it a boring process.

Source : IndianExpress.com :: Kerala shuts windows, schools to use only Linux


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## Arsenal_Gunners (Mar 9, 2008)

Already posted here.
*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=82156


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## Dark Star (Mar 9, 2008)

Darn it I missed the discussion..


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## FilledVoid (Mar 9, 2008)

I don't understand why this suddenly becomes news. Kerala has been adopting Linux in schools since 2006 if I recall right.


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## nileshgr (Mar 9, 2008)

Cool! Hope all states in India adopt this measure.


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## Kiran.dks (Mar 9, 2008)

Thread reported. Already posted and the thread has met the usual ending.
*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=82156


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## nileshgr (Mar 9, 2008)

Yeah true. This was once posted in Tech or Random News.


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## kalpik (Mar 9, 2008)

I'm letting this thread run as an independent thread. But it WILL be locked if people go off topic.


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## NucleusKore (Mar 9, 2008)

I don't think Microsoft will sit quietly, they might go in for litigation.


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## FilledVoid (Mar 10, 2008)

> I don't think Microsoft will sit quietly, they might go in for litigation.



About what Kerala Government not adopting Windows. No can do. basically they would have to sue the Government and as folks in Kerala know. Thats not going to get you anywhere.....


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## NucleusKore (Mar 10, 2008)

FilledVoid said:


> About what Kerala Government not adopting Windows. No can do. basically they would have to sue the Government and as folks in Kerala know. Thats not going to get you anywhere.....



Yes, they won't leave them


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## MetalheadGautham (Mar 10, 2008)

NucleusKore said:


> I don't think Microsoft will sit quietly, they might go in for litigation.


they can't do anything. If they go to court, there will be reasons asked.
and the moment M$ monopoly issue is raised, the ball will be in govt's court

the following arugements can be used against M$ in court:

1. M$ products are expensive

2. Even if they are freely given to the govt, the source code of M$ OSes can't be made available to let the geekier students experiment

3. Even if there was a fair bidding, it has been proved time and again that as an OS, linux based systems are extremely more effitient than M$ solutions

4. M$ is against the Leftist ideologies of the Kerala Govt

5. M$ products are insecure; sensitive data on M$ based systems can't be held as safely as in Linux based systems. There are countless bugs, holes and viruses in M$ systems.

6. M$ products may not be sutiable for mission critical applications. One may aruge that such applications don't take place in schools; but if Linux is used, the same knowledge(linux) can be applied even at the student's future, when he works(in mission critical applications). And hence Linux is more future proof


FilledVoid said:


> About what Kerala Government not adopting Windows. No can do. basically they would have to sue the Government and as folks in Kerala know. Thats not going to get you anywhere.....


+1. And if there is an exeption, use my set of points.
You can easily expect an anti-M$ strike in kerala. There are countless strikes already for every small issue in kerala. So anything against the Govt will mean Crisis.


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## mehulved (Mar 10, 2008)

I am totally disappointed by this move.
I always liked FOSS because there was freedom of choice.
There are other ways to balance an unbalanced scale but this method is absolutely blasphemous


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## nileshgr (Mar 10, 2008)

> they can't do anything. If they go to court, there will be reasons asked.
> and the moment M$ monopoly issue is raised, the ball will be in govt's court
> 
> the following arugements can be used against M$ in court:
> ...



+2


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## ray|raven (Mar 10, 2008)

Not a good move IMO.
They are becoming the same monopoly they are trying to avoid.


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## gary4gar (Mar 10, 2008)

^^^^
well they can't completely avoid windows, so hence no monopoly

In course like Animation,graphics design etc windows is still a must.

But ya this at least People would know what Linux is.


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## FilledVoid (Mar 10, 2008)

> I am totally disappointed by this move.
> I always liked FOSS because there was freedom of choice.
> There are other ways to balance an unbalanced scale but this method is absolutely blasphemous



I'll give you the fact that the persons freedom is being limited to a certain extent. but considering the financial crisis Kerala is in at the moment. I wouldn't mind the trade off saving that much more money . And please don't say Education Cess. Education Cess is not used for developing the technological standards of a school.


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## nileshgr (Mar 10, 2008)

gary4gar said:


> ^^^^
> well they can't completely avoid windows, so hence no monopoly
> 
> In course like Animation,graphics design etc windows is still a must.
> ...


How about GIMP for graphics design  ?!

If Linux isn't forced, people don't know what is Linux until circumstances force them. eg. me I was a Win32sux user 1 year ago. I got mad due those idiotic viruses, etc.

I asked dad to get broadband, downloaded Linux and switched to Linux permanently. Though recently I was compelled to install win2k in my system for troubleshooting of my older broadband connection which was later found that the conn. was not supported in Linux due to ISPs configuration problem. After getting VSNL, I don't remember accessing win2k in my system!


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## ray|raven (Mar 10, 2008)

Dude, FOSS is about Freedom.Not force.
IMO people should be given the right to choose what they want.
As i said, in trying to avoid the monopoly that MS is,
they are becoming another.


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## nileshgr (Mar 10, 2008)

rayraven said:


> Dude, FOSS is about Freedom.Not force.
> IMO people should be given the right to choose what they want.
> As i said, in trying to avoid the monopoly that MS is,
> they are becoming another.


Dude, M$ has monopoly. I can say with full guarantee that if someone is given to chose he'd choose win32sux in India (a very few about 10% will choose Linux).

So, does it mean that the remaining 90% should remain illiterate about Linux ?


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## ray|raven (Mar 10, 2008)

No, I mean to say that people should be given the choice.
Whether he'd chose windows or linux is his personal opinion.
Teach them both in schools.Educate them the positives and negatives.
Let them decide what they want to use.
I still say people have the right to decide what the want,
Not live with the choices governments make for them.


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## nileshgr (Mar 10, 2008)

rayraven said:


> No, I mean to say that people should be given the choice.
> Whether he'd chose windows or linux is his personal opinion.
> Teach them both in schools.Educate them the positives and negatives.
> Let them decide what they want to use.
> ...


that's better.


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## ray|raven (Mar 10, 2008)

Well, that what I've been trying to say all this time.


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## gary4gar (Mar 10, 2008)

The Unknown said:


> How about GIMP for graphics design  ?!
> 
> If Linux isn't forced, people don't know what is Linux until circumstances force them. eg. me I was a Win32sux user 1 year ago. I got mad due those idiotic viruses, etc.
> 
> I asked dad to get broadband, downloaded Linux and switched to Linux permanently. Though recently I was compelled to install win2k in my system for troubleshooting of my older broadband connection which was later found that the conn. was not supported in Linux due to ISPs configuration problem. After getting VSNL, I don't remember accessing win2k in my system!


The industry standards is Adobe Photoshop.
for Animation its Maya


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## nileshgr (Mar 10, 2008)

gary4gar said:


> The industry standards is Adobe Photoshop.
> for Animation its Maya


GIMP is quite good to fight Adobe Photoshop.


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## vaithy (Mar 10, 2008)

If kerala actually want to boot out Windows , then they can do this much easily with the following measures:
1) Raid with BSA goons to the shopkeepers premises, resellers locations , and school, colleges where only pirated windows copies used, put them behind bar ( M$ could not complain on this matter)
2)Companies using open sources may be given  some tax break, tax concessions etc.,)
3)Tender conditions compulsarily mentioned that the software supplied should be inclusion of sourcecodes with unrestricted rights for the Govt.(EULA has no locus standi with law of the land).
then watch the fireworks!!

vaithy


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## sakumar79 (Mar 10, 2008)

Actually, for image editing, GIMP is pretty good, even though it has a slightly steep learning curve. However, there are also many other free software for image editing that are simple to use... And in animation also, there is Blender which is available for free... Only when you go into professional level development, you will need more powerful features found in Photoshop/3DS Max/Maya, etc...

Arun


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## FilledVoid (Mar 10, 2008)

I don't think that everyone is getting the point here. Not *ALL * schools are goign to start implementing Linux systems in it. This article only points mainly to Government schools and the ones who follow the SSLC boards which I believe only account for a small percentage of todays students. I might be wrong but I'm betting that it wouldn't account for more than 50% of the student population in Kerala. I might be wrong here so don't quote me on it  . 

The remaining percentage will implement whatever they please or whatever is required by the syllabus of the board they come under. If you ask me its more a Political Issue than any poor student benefiting from anything but thats just my stance. if they did it to reduce the expenses incurred by each school then I hope they invest it in gettign some of those schools new hardware which they can use whatever OS they want .


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## mehulved (Mar 10, 2008)

FilledVoid said:


> I'll give you the fact that the persons freedom is being limited to a certain extent. but considering the financial crisis Kerala is in at the moment. I wouldn't mind the trade off saving that much more money . And please don't say Education Cess. Education Cess is not used for developing the technological standards of a school.


Well ask for more money from people wanting to pursue MS technologies, since they're way costlier. And then linux isn't free of cost either?



The Unknown said:


> GIMP is quite good to fight Adobe Photoshop.


Not really when it comes to prinout quality. Major high quality printers have CMYK colour scheme, but very few FOSS softwares use CMYK, most of them are RGB. Yes, it's possible to get equivalent quality of print outs using FOSS tools too but you'll need a very good and indepth understanding of how colours are reproduced on printers, how these softwares work and a lot more. Atleast, a person like me who doesn't know much about these things will struggle a lot.


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## gary4gar (Mar 10, 2008)

IMO, better move would be curbing Pirated the use of pirated software.
This way Linux user base would increase as Most won't pay for a OS.


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## mehulved (Mar 10, 2008)

gary4gar said:


> The industry standards is Adobe Photoshop.
> for Animation its Maya


For once try blender. If you want I will give you a DVD full of tuts, you'll be amazed at it. We just had a workshop on Blender yesterday. Even my friend who's got a good know how of maya and another person who has worked professionally on Maya, were ashtonished by Blender. All of 5 of us who sat for that session were blown away.
Let me state some facts.
1) Blender is just about 13.5 mb in size compared to GB's of maya, 3ds max and all.
2) We ran blender on 2 laptops - one with core duo and 256MB RAM and other was worse, celeron 1.2GHz with 256MB of RAM, both with onboard intel graphics.
I'd like to see your Maya run on that config. 
3) Blender supports clustering, maya doesn't AFAIK
There are already talks at HBCSE to set up 8 rack cluster with 64GB of RAM, and they maybe trying blender on it.


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## adi007 (Mar 10, 2008)

Cool....
and BTW in our college,all comp's of browsing center and not to mention the college server is running with the aid of Linux
The only area which it has not entered is Computer science lab....where .NET,VB etc. are taught...
I have no complaint in linux but the only thing i'm lacking is VB...that's all...i know there are lots of alternatives like Glade,QT etc....but VB is VB....
The one software which i liked in Linux is Gambas which is a clone of VB but it has several feautures lacking....i just hope it gets fully developed..


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## FilledVoid (Mar 10, 2008)

> Well ask for more money from people wanting to pursue MS technologies, since they're way costlier. And then linux isn't free of cost either?



Thats what private schools usually do. There are backward schools that can barely afford the price of a system how would they raise the money for this in the first place. Which leads me back to what Im trying to say. The implementation of Linux is most likely going to happen at these schools which can't bare the cost of implementation rather than a posh school in a metropolitan city. 

By the way I dont have actual sources to verify this . I'm just saying that if I were the educational Minister of Kerala and it was upto me to decide whether I would want WIndows or Linux. Then the answer is simple. Financial constraints > all. If I had unlimited reserves of money then both operating systems at each school. Other wise it would be Linux.


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## nileshgr (Mar 10, 2008)

gary4gar said:


> IMO, better move would be curbing Pirated the use of pirated software.
> This way Linux user base would increase as Most won't pay for a OS.


+1


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## din (Mar 10, 2008)

FilledVoid said:


> I don't think that everyone is getting the point here. Not *ALL * schools are goign to start implementing Linux systems in it. This article only points mainly to Government schools and the ones who follow the SSLC boards which I believe only account for a small percentage of todays students.


Wrong. All Govt schools + aided etc will come under it and that makes it large majority. Yes, CBSE / ICSE schools are not under this, but that does not make majority / near majority.

And as I mentioned once in another thread, they are learning basic tools n languages only - which will not make much difference with the OS. I mean word processing, spread sheets, presentations, HTML, Basic programming language etc. 

Yes, giving a choice is always good, instaed of Lin only. But the problem in Kerala - atleast places away from big cities (which constitutes the large majority) people / school can't afford paying $$$ for softwares. The computers in schools itself will be donated by PTA, organizations, MLAs etc and  making every system Windows will not be possible for them financially.


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## NucleusKore (Mar 10, 2008)

^+1
Also remember, the government has changed the syllabus and the exam papers. So if I am not wrong, all schools private or otherwise, affiliated to Kerela state board will be affected by this.


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## FilledVoid (Mar 10, 2008)

> Wrong. All Govt schools + aided etc will come under it and that makes it large majority. Yes, CBSE / ICSE schools are not under this, but that does not make majority / near majority.



Im not sure about the stats of student populations in either board so as I said I might be wrong there. And please note that I said the schools that follow the SSLC boards. Isnt that the same as the Kerala state board? I havent studied under the SSLC board (or the board that conducts it) so Im not sure about this. But I think it is the same. 



> Yes, giving a choice is always good, instaed of Lin only. But the problem in Kerala - atleast places away from big cities (which constitutes the large majority) people / school can't afford paying $$$ for softwares. The computers in schools itself will be donated by PTA, organizations, MLAs etc and making every system Windows will not be possible for them financially.



Which is what I said in the beginning. Linux will be used in schools which can't afford purchasing of software. Or at least thats what I do if Im in the Governments shoes.


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## Dark Star (Mar 10, 2008)

gary4gar said:


> The industry standards is Adobe Photoshop.
> for Animation its Maya


Blender  *www.blender.org/  and Gimp rock.. and  adobe now gaining some sense .. People will see PS and all under Linux .. *opensource.adobe.com/wiki/display/site/Home

Just 1 thing.. and it wil own every 1 .. I know this move will be a bit on the harsh side.. but as your saying about choice..
Put the choice.. and still bet people wil use linux.. But the condition should be like this

USE Linux or Original Windows.. People thinking buying PC under 15 would never buy Windows which costs 10-15k for  the "WoW" factor.. I just never understand what "WoW" in that


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## nileshgr (Mar 10, 2008)

Dark Star said:


> Blender  *www.blender.org/  and Gimp rock.. and  adobe now gaining some sense .. People will see PS and all under Linux .. *opensource.adobe.com/wiki/display/site/Home
> 
> Just 1 thing.. and it wil own every 1 .. I know this move will be a bit on the harsh side.. but as your saying about choice..
> Put the choice.. and still bet people wil use linux.. But the condition should be like this
> ...


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## Dark Star (Mar 10, 2008)

gary4gar said:


> IMO, better move would be curbing Pirated the use of pirated software.
> This way Linux user base would increase as Most won't pay for a OS.



Its not that .. We will pay.. If its for Genuine use. Look I am a Genuine guys.. I never purchased facked things. I have few games titles and all are Genuine.. Ok I am going to pay for Windows even a premium price tag of 10-15k .. Then see how my account tremble.. 

1. I need a powerful rig say 30-40 k for minimal use I am considering Vista .. or 60-70k for high end.. Now don't debate me on config.. I know a lot more about hardware than one might have thought 
2. Chalo somehow I convinced my parent and spend nearly a 1lakh for PC + Gaming .. Now my sister is a GFX designer.[though she isn't]. She needs PS now I spend 50k+..
3. I have .pdf, .rm,files,  I can't view out of the box.. But I am paying 15k for the OS /.//
4. I am using net .. Darn it .. Blast you Gates.. The internet bombarded trillions of malicious code..
5. What to do should I paid 3k+ on Internet security or 1-1.5k on AV..
6. There are lot more things to name... just think before saying....Windows  windows windows... How guys say that and I would have gone bankrupt if I would have gone by your suggestion;.. Seesh so much for a OS...

Well all thing are inverse for Linux.. I just need to d/l few Mb's of codecs.. and I'll play all sort of media files.. and I was pissed by seeing this comment.. *www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showpost.php?p=771019&postcount=18

GXSaurav you are a MVP and still you still don't know that no 1 in Windows use the default codecs. Either people install Klite or something else. So its nearly same when It comes to play mp3 
That's it .. In no matter MS windows is superior if you go Genuine way.. and if you are using ahem ver.. [not to say  but nearly users are birds of same feather who flock together]..and despite knowing that you are using ahem windows and still bragging about it  Then I must say Windows users are without an honor ..Just like  ambidentate ligand 

P.S : No offense meant to anyone  Sorry if I have hurt anyone in any respect ..


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## nileshgr (Mar 10, 2008)

Dark Star said:


> Its not that .. We will pay.. If its for Genuine use. Look I am a Genuine guys.. I never purchased facked things. I have few games titles and all are Genuine.. Ok I am going to pay for Windows even a premium price tag of 10-15k .. Then see how my account tremble..
> 
> 1. I need a powerful rig say 30-40 k for minimal use I am considering Vista .. or 60-70k for high end.. Now don't debate me on config.. I know a lot more about hardware than one might have thought
> 2. Chalo somehow I convinced my parent and spend nearly a 1lakh for PC + Gaming .. Now my sister is a GFX designer.[though she isn't]. She needs PS now I spend 50k+..
> ...


are you a normal person or an orator like Mark Antony in the play Julius Caesar ??

What a speech man!


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## praka123 (Mar 10, 2008)

if freedom is not understood/appreciated by people,enforce "freedom" to the people.let them know how to use their rights!
in this case Free Softwares. 

well,wait for UDF to come to powers in 3 yrs or so.we can expect Ummen Chandy,manorama group & hardware mafia bullying for M$haft 

well,I m anti-communist to clear the doubts 

Just read in todays news paper of KSEB's ad saving Rs4 crore plus using free software(linux etc).seriously!that ad should let ppl know what Operating System(linux debian) and what softwares are used!

even better sarkar should put ads on free sofrware in media  
already Mr.achyutanandan is fried by pro-M$ communists(YES!!!!)


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## NucleusKore (Mar 10, 2008)

[size=+1]I was reading Stallman's interview here on the subject of this post. I never knew that one can restrict the OS used from the BIOS of a PC !!![/size]

IT@School Linux:

*malayalam.web4all.in/index.php/Malayalam_in_GNU/Linux


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## nileshgr (Mar 11, 2008)

NucleusKore said:


> [size=+1]I was reading Stallman's interview here on the subject of this post. I never knew that one can restrict the OS used from the BIOS of a PC !!![/size]
> 
> IT@School Linux:
> 
> *malayalam.web4all.in/index.php/Malayalam_in_GNU/Linux


The desktoplinux link takes ages to load. It never loads.


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## NucleusKore (Mar 11, 2008)

^Works fine here, try through a proxy.


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## din (Mar 11, 2008)

Please do not think I am hijacking this thread. But I put an explanatory post in the tech news section as I see lot of threads nowadays regarding the same topic, I mean Linux movements in Kerala schools. Most do not know the details, so here is the thread - 

 Linux in Kerala Schools - Fact Sheet


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