In lesser use today is Linux on the desktop, where the graphical interfaces developed by Microsoft and Apple still rule. Nevertheless, desktop alternatives, including substitutes for the word processing and spreadsheet applications found in Microsoft Office, are available through the open source community, as well.
Some schools are also using Linux to run networks of thin clients, computers that don't have hard drives and thus can't run applications on their own. Instead, application processing is done on a central server and the results are delivered to the thin client. The advantage of such Linux-based networks, in addition to their reliability, is the potential to bring hardware and maintenance costs down. Almost any old computer can be used as a client, and all software upgrades can be handled on the central server.
Despite the advantages of open source software, there are trade-offs. For starters, technical support is not available through an 800 number. Instead, users must go to Web sites to obtain upgrades, patches, and support from open source organizations. Also, there's a steep learning curve associated with setting up and managing Linux-based networks. While source code is available with all open source products, it often takes an expert programmer to customize applications to meet a school's needs.
Still, the potential cost savings is attractive enough to consider open source, especially if a school has a strong technology team in place. To give you an idea of what's available, we've compiled a sampling of popular products.
The Apache HTTP Server, developed by the Apache Software Foundation, is the most-used Web server on the Internet. The free software can deliver Web pages from a Linux, Unix, or Windows computer. The foundation says its current version, 2.0.44, is the most secure and highest-performing version of Apache available today.
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