What is Ubuntu and why is ICS using it? 

Ubuntu ...a strange South African word is making the rounds at ICS. Going along with it is another word, native to no language: Linux. What is all this about?

Linux is an operating system for computers. Like Windows, it can run on any personal computer. It was invented twenty years ago as a free and open source computer operating system. (Vocabulary note: free is used as in "freedom" or "free speech," not just as in "no cost" or "free lunch.") Linux is used on many computers around the world - most commonly on major file servers. Linux has recently become extremely popular and is widely used on cell phones - Android is a version of Linux. (For more information, read this article from howstuffworks.com)

Several versions of the LInux operating system have been developed over the years, each with its own advantages. Ubuntu was developed several years ago, intended as an easy-to-use version of Linux to run on personal computers. Usbuntu was developed by Canonical, a company based in South Africa, and "ubuntu" means "humanity towards others." (For more about Ubuntu, you can read about it here on the ubuntu.com website.) There is a philosophy to Ubuntu - people working together to help each other. (This philosophy is derived from the philosophy of free and open source software.

At ICS, we are using Ubuntu on computers that our students use. We are doing this for several reasons:

First, by using an operating system that students are usually unfamiliar with, we have them learn new skills and adapt to new situations. Rather than rely on memorized key commands, menu items or toolbar buttons, students have to think about what it is they want to do and where they might find the command.

In the UK, Ofsted (the Office for Standards in Education) did a survey of information and communication technology in primary and secondary schools. In the report's first key finding, this statement was made: "Over-reliance on a standard ‘office’ application and operating system restricted (students') opportunities to develop generic and transferable skills. " By using an operating system that is not widely used by students (and another "office" application), we aim to enhance our students' skills and broaden their opportunities.

Furthermore, as Ubuntu is an open system, students who are particularly interested can learn skills of computer programming and managing computer operating systems. Since it is open, it encourages experimentation, adaptation and personalization.

Finally, Linux is a valued and widely used operating system. By exposing our students to it, we give them an advantage in their preparation for the world of work.

(The photograph at the right was taken by me while on holiday this summer in Orlando, Florida. In today's economy, I found it quite striking that such an advertisement was being made.)