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Open Source Software and Education

There are many benefits to schools choosing to use open source and free software, beyond the obvious issue of cost. This resource will discuss these issues and direct you to some of the information on the web regarding schools and Open Source software and where to find the software you need.

What is Open Source Software?

Open Source software is developed and distributed under a special copyright agreement, so that it can be used, modified and redistributed. It is often developed by a large number of programmers, working independently or collaboratively online and tends to evolve quickly. A comprehensive definition can be found at Wikipedia . You may also find useful 'Freeware' software. Freeware does not make the source code available to developers, but it must be free in all senses of the word - no trial periods, no hidden payments, no adware running on your system. A detailed definition of Freeware can also be found at Wikipedia.

Why Open Source?

There are many reasons for selecting Open Source software for your school, and cost is not the only, or even necessarily the most beneficial, reason.

Freely available software for multiple platforms (i.e. Windows, Mac, Linux)

  • No subscription and license costs
  • Dramatically reduces the costs of adding a new computer lab
  • Sustainability - no yearly registration costs or update costs
  • Equity of access. Students can install the same software at home for free

Developed by a community of programmers

  • Open source community fosters diversity. A wide variety of applications are developed, and one application may develop in several difference directions, responding to various user needs.
  • Users can participate in the community and influence development, new ideas, bug fixes etc
  • Software applications develop and evolve quickly, due to multiple developers and user input.

Practical Application

  • Open source software generally uses open standards, so data is not locked away in a proprietary format
  • Wide variety of software, including services and tools, curriculum delivery, publishing and creation etc
  • Senior IT students can join the Open Source community and use real world programming tasks to enhance their learning.

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© YVeLC 2007 Created & compiled by Suzanne Tate for the YVeLC