Michael Paric's Page

After working part-time on this for over a year, I've started to put together viable solutions for providing low-cost, low-energy computer networks for schools. The technology, of course, was always there. What the schools need is enough support to relieve the burden placed on the instructors. So what I've come up with is a commercially-supported "Open Source Volunteer Certification" which uses (pays) local LUG members to teach classes on Linux and Open Source Software use to Teachers, Parents a… Continue

After over two year of providing reliable, accessible and safe technology to over 110 students and 8 faculty members, the Linux Thin Client Network at Liberty High School in Benicia was shut down at the end of last semester. Not that the technology failed to deliver; total cost of the project over the two years including new servers (4), network switches (4), PXE NICs (20), recycled workstations used as thin client terminals (55) and consulting time (setup, installation and 2-years maintenance)… Continue

Linux and Open Source software thrives because of the communities surrounding them. Without the collaboration and cooperation of thousands of people world-wide, the Internet as we know it wouldn't exist.

So what happens when we rely on the Community to provide support for Open Source projects in our schools? I've seen (and participated in) many volunteer build-fests, recycling projects and classroom installs that provided a great start to projects. I've also seen many of them fail after just a… Continue