Why should we teach students Linux??

[Chong Yu Meng]

On Mon, 2007-03-05 at 17:16 +0100, Roel Bindels wrote:
> Hello listers,
> 
> I'm tutor on the Faculty ICT, department NID. This is a bachelor degree
> and we are preparing our students to become something more then just
> System Administrators (such as manager, consulting, etc....). Since this
> department is part of the Microsoft camp, the students are educated
> mostly in this direction, which I think is not a bad thing. A better
> thing would be if we could give our students the opportunity to meat
> both the systems on the same level, at least, that is my opinion.
> 
> To change a curriculum of a study, I need a solid case. So if somebody
> knows a link/document about why we should educate our students in the
> Linux OS, please send it. Or article about the usage of Linux in company's.
> 
> I hope you will all take some time to send me your best links/documents.
> 

I don't have any links to send, but I do have an alternative perspective
to offer, which may or may not be relevant in your case. The most
important feature of Linux is that it gives users and organizations the
means with which to build the kind of technology infrastructure that
they want. I'm not sure how well-financed the organizations are, that
your students will eventually be working in. If it is going to be a
brokerage or government, then probably they will not be faced with a
situation where they have to improvise a technology solution, and
Microsoft is probably the best way to educate them. 

Teaching them Linux, however, will give them the tools to build an
infrastructure if none exists. If your students are going to work in
charity organizations, or in third world countries, or small businesses,
teaching them Linux will allow them to achieve more at a far lower cost,
in terms of licensing, hardware, as well as maintenance (less prone to
crashes, viruses, etc.). If they find themselves in a technology "worst
case scenario" (i.e. no budget, aging infrastructure, stagnant or
declining company), they can still find a way to solve problems without
blaming management, asking for more money, or resorting to piracy.   

Maybe this sort of situation is rare in Europe and the US, but in many
parts of Asia, it is really common. I choose Linux because I'd much
rather have the tools to help myself than to depend on my luck, which
has never been very good.

Regards,
pascal chong