1. Enhancing Open Source Use
a manifesto for Open Source adoption

2. Session outline
Open Source considerations
Brief outline of a ‘mixed economy’ school
A policy for Open Source use
Next steps

3. Open Source considerations
Courtesy of http://www.wordle.net

4. A ‘mixed economy’ school
Sprowston Community High School in Norwich
• Closed and Open Source
• Windows, Mac and Linux
• Desktop and Server
• Joomla and Moodle but also Fronter. Elgg in
development
• Exchange and Active Directory
• Scratch, Audacity, Inkscape etc in the classroom
alongside Office and CS4
• OpenDisc promoted to the community but also a
Microsoft Academy
• Interoperability is key

5. Policy
• If there's a good open source solution that
meets the curriculum needs then we use it
• When there is no viable open source
solution, we get on with using the
proprietary one and set a review date
• If we use a closed source system, we
make sure that it has file format
interoperability with an open source
alternative in order to enable use at home

6. Policy
• When we modify systems in any way, we
make the revised code available on an
open source basis
• Where possible we only implement
systems that are platform independent to
the end user
• Where an open source system exists that
nearly works, we work with it and feed
back to the community

7. Policy
• We understand that young people need
transferable software skills and select
systems on that basis
• We review all systems, both open and
closed source, on a regular basis to
ensure that they are still fit for purpose and
serve our young people in the best way
possible

8. Next steps
Discuss
Reflect
Promote
Image source http://bit.ly/2F6YQQ

9. Contact me
Twitter @jameswwright
Web www.jameswwright.com
Email james@jameswwright.com