Our year is here! #linux
After 30 Years, Linux Finally Hits 3% Market Share
https://linuxiac.com/linux-hits-3-percent-market-share/
@fatboy Sad that Chrome OS is 4.15% Market Share
@GotNothing @fatboy seeing ChromeOS being pushed on public schools - it’s pathetic. My kids just leave the school issued computer to the side. My youngest uses a #Fedora based laptop and gets of his works done using
compatible applications such as #libreoffice.
We’ve moved around quite a bit and I’ve always talked to the district IT or school IT - why not Linux based school infrastructure?
Killing me smalls…killing me…
@jppelt @GotNothing @fatboy I work #education IT. We use a lot of #Linux in the backend. But for client machines, you have to use something supported. People will riot if its not a known quantity.
As much as I would love to give every student a Linux device and have them work in Libre office, its just not going to happen. There is probably also the argument to be made that you need to give them the tools they're going to see in the future and at 3% share, they're simply not going to see Linux.
@gnuplusmatt @jppelt @GotNothing @fatboy how is desktop linux these days for integration into larger operations/security infrastructure?
@nerdenator @jppelt @GotNothing @fatboy as a client device its easier under something like AzureAD, as even windows devices in that config use a local account and just cache a lot of network credentials.
Our SIEM can analyze Linux hosts, our radius infrastructure is Freeradius and Packetfence, it can talk to our AD. Our Hypervisor is Linux. A portion of our storage infrastructure is also Linux. Webhosts, all Linux/containers bar one that was a vendor requirement.
@gnuplusmatt @GotNothing @fatboy I would only say that modern Linux computing gives them all the tools and adds flexibility of mind.
Yes, I know…highly unlikely any time soon.
@jppelt @GotNothing @fatboy I hate to say it, but the closest thing we'll get anytime soon is #chromeOS.
and any gnu distro that hypothetically gets traction mainstream is probably going to look more like chromeOS anyway, #immutable like Fedora #silverblue / #kinoite or even #SteamOS
@gnuplusmatt @GotNothing @fatboy I’m good with an immutable as a gateway. Imagine a school district that invests in a company, say #system76 and uses #popos while asking S76 for support. That district has full #rightorepair, can easily have someone upgrade any and all desktop or laptop AND have a super stable and gaming friendly distro.
I’m not advocating full Arch or Gentoo for school districts but #fedora, #popos, #debian, heck…go #elementary if you want pre packaged simplicity.
@jppelt @GotNothing @fatboy I fully agree it would be an awesome thing to try. But even the limited things we've tried to do to get just proprietary tools out of the class room has failed.
We scaled back Adobe CC, replacing them with Krita et al for basic users, only giving CC to students specifically in Art and Design. Parents and students complained and the following semester everyone had CC licenses again.
Outside of IT students, the only successful FOSS tool our end users embrace is VLC
@jppelt @GotNothing @fatboy we have Libre Office packaged in Company Portal too, I think its had ~15 installs IIRC
@gnuplusmatt @GotNothing @fatboy and they’ve become so good. I’ve stopped using MS proprietary fonts. My entire family is on LibreOffice now
@gnuplusmatt @GotNothing @fatboy it’s crazy - my son was Adobe certified last year but now uses GIMP and Krita. But I get it.
Education - easier said than done. I know. Sometimes I want to open a Finnish style school with all Linux and FOSS.
@gnuplusmatt @GotNothing @fatboy and what is crazy is the cost of licensing. You would think that would factor into leadership’a decision making.
@jppelt @GotNothing @fatboy yeah subscription licenses are such a rort. We pay yearly what we used to pay for a site license that would have lasted us 5 years.
But the schools consider it the cost of doing business and its what they want to use. Ultimately we can't fight them in the classroom just for our technological ideals.
@gnuplusmatt @jppelt @GotNothing @fatboy UC Berkeley recently stopped giving everyone full CC licenses by default and encouraged everyone who didn't need editing capabilities to download Adobe Reader. The one function I haven't found in a Linux pdf app - which maybe exists and I just haven't found it - is redaction as easy as it is in Acrobat Pro, where you can just zip through a multipage file and mark redactions and then apply them.
@gnuplusmatt
> There is probably also the argument to be made that you need to give them the tools they're going to see in the future and at 3% share, they're simply not going to see Linux
The reverse is more causal. If they are only introduced to digital handcuffs at school, chances are that's all they'll know how to use as adults. The whole point of public education is to avoid such outcomes. Just ask the OER Foundation folks.
@strypey @jppelt @GotNothing @fatboy @lightweight I'm not saying I agree with the argument, but when we've tried to push FOSS over commercial solutions, this is usually what we hear from faculty and parents.
I hate with a passion things like "Microsoft Educator" programs or "Apple Lighthouse Schools". Because it is entirely that, locking in the next generation, "getting them while they're young".
But most people are not interested in technology idealism, and it is a big road block
@gnuplusmatt contrary to the popular saw, I always say: the customer is almost never right. If they were, they wouldn't need us. Parents, for the most part, know little if anything about technology. We need leadership that can explain why concepts trump products every. Single. Time. And similarly, open leads to equity, and closed the opposite. We need to be bold and emphatic to parents who have swallowed the lies of big tech. @strypey @jppelt @GotNothing @fatboy
@lightweight @strypey @jppelt @GotNothing @fatboy unfortunately these things start at the top, and as i am in private education, the board and executive see things like Microsoft and "industry" partnerships as a win. It gets them enrollments.
As the system admins and ict managers, we have to fight the battles we can win. We've won most of the backend, but I can't see the client happening anytime soon.
@gnuplusmatt there's plenty of credible research - especially in the EU, - that dispels the idea that those things are desirable. Things like https://nextcloud.com/blog/european-governments-work-with-nextcloud-to-build-digitally-sovereign-office/ & https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Nagle-OSS-policy-brief-PDF.pdf & https://botpopuli.net/flying-the-kite-high-against-digital-colonialism-foss-in-the-era-of-edtech/ Decision maker who aren''t subject matter experts need to stop thinking they know better. @strypey @jppelt @GotNothing @fatboy
@gnuplusmatt for what it's worth, I've quit jobs where decision makers didn't 'get' this stuff. I've never regretted it. I also started my own company when I couldn't find one I could stomach working for. Also no regrets. @strypey @jppelt @GotNothing @fatboy
@gnuplusmatt what it comes down to is that the system *needs to change* fundamentally. All we have is our credibility (political capital), but if we're smart, we can compel (or, if needed, circumvent) people who don't 'get it'. If we don't, who will? @strypey @jppelt @GotNothing @fatboy
@gnuplusmatt if they're not interested in tech idealism, it's likely in large part, due to learnt helplessness. Which is why I say we're in the midst of a digital Dark Age. https://davelane.nz/darkage @strypey @jppelt @GotNothing @fatboy
@jppelt @fatboy I know that Chrome OS is close source and the user data, but it looks petty the UI. Thats for me.
I'm not saying that use Chrome OS or Chrome OS Flex for anything, well do have on two old laptops. One being a old dell Inspiron and other being a 2006 Macbook. I just them for testing Chrome OS Flex.
@jppelt
I suppose it would be different if the school allowed them to enable the Linux container??
@GotNothing @fatboy
@fatboy
So, that's one percent per decade. Not to shabby when you consider the financial resources of the others!
I wonder how much the steam deck has added.
@adrinux It all!