[Edu-sig] Low Enrollments.

[Dethe Elza]

Kirby,

I think we're largely in agreement here, it just seemed that you were  
saying that what you do as a small business and what Microsoft does  
is ethically equivalent, which I don't agree with.  I do agree that  
the solution is not to legislate business out of schools.  I think  
the solution is to a) ignore Microsoft, and b) make Microsoft  
irrelevant (they are allowed to help with this, and have been making  
great progress %-)

> What I want to do:  field a fleet of cybervans to roam the country,  
> coming
> to town in circus mode, and staging educational knock-your-socks- 
> off events,
> or inservice trainings with less fanfare, then leave.  Schools  
> exposed to
> this new curriculum will usually wanting more -- it's an exciting  
> future
> we're advertising.

Where do I sign up?  I'd seriously like to hear more about this.  My  
wife is doing her Ph.D. in Education right now, and keeps asking  
herself (and me), "why am I doing this?"  We're looking for more  
signs of progressive change.

> I've already made a lot of progress in this direction.  So what if  
> some of
> these cybervans have a Google decal on the side?  Or 4D Solutions.  Or
> Global Data Corporation.  All good companies.  And if Microsoft  
> wants to
> field similar assets?  Well, why not.  We'll compete.  We believe  
> in a level
> playing field.

I also want to start teaching Python in the community, but am having  
trouble starting (both figuring out a good starting point, and  
freeing time from other commitments). I'd like to hear more about  
your progress, maybe I can get inspired to join you.

--Dethe

Choosing software is not a neutral act. It must be done consciously;  
the debate over free and proprietary software can’t be limited to the  
differences in the applications’ features and ergonomics. To choose  
an operating system, or software, or network architecture is to  
choose a kind of society. --Lemaire and Decroocq (trans. by Tim Bray)