French students to get open-source software on USB key

Vikingod · Feb 4, 2007, 03:59 PM

Source: ComputerWorld
___________
French authorities will give out 175,000 USB memory sticks loaded with open-source software to Parisian high school students at the start of the next school year.

The sticks will give the students, ages 15 and 16, the freedom to access their e-mail, browser bookmarks and other documents on computers at school, home, a friend's house or in an Internet cafe -- but at a much lower cost than providing notebook computers for all, a spokesman for the Greater Paris Regional Council said Friday.

~~DudeBoyz~~ · Feb 4, 2007, 04:13 PM

Anytime you point one of things at a student they are going to throw their hands up and surrender...

Sandok · Feb 4, 2007, 04:33 PM

Ah yes, the hilarious french stereotype...

On a more serious note, I find that's a good thing for the goverment to do. Must cost them a fortune though!

~~DudeBoyz~~ · Feb 4, 2007, 04:36 PM

I wonder why they don't save a little money and just host the files online for students to download?

Sandok · Feb 4, 2007, 04:43 PM

Well I dunno... Maybe because everyone in France doesn't have the internet? The files might be too big for 56kers and other people with small bandwith? The servers would get totally decimated by those many users?

I think they took the logical route... Hosting files isn't cheap from what I know

~~DudeBoyz~~ · Feb 4, 2007, 04:48 PM

It just seems like a lot of physical resources to manufacture all that stuff, I guess.

I wonder if a CD would be more effective / resource efficient?

heffeque · Feb 4, 2007, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandok

Well I dunno... Maybe because everyone in France doesn't have the internet? The files might be too big for 56kers and other people with small bandwith? The servers would get totally decimated by those many users?

I think they took the logical route... Hosting files isn't cheap from what I know

That's an interesting statement there taking into consideration that French people have faster internet connections than in the States LOL. Their 30 Mbps cable connection costs 19.90 euros and 100 Mbps for 29.90 euros. Most DSL connections in France are 24 Mbps although in big cities 60 Mbps DSL connections are starting to be deployed costing 29.90 euros. And last but not least, there's an FTTH service starting to roll in Paris that's 100 symmetrical Mbps for 79 euros. Not bad at all. It's curious how the States is only starting with FiOS giving 5 Mbps for 39.99 dollars, 15 Mbps for 49.99 dollars and 30 Mbps for 179.99 dollars... Doesn't that seem a little bit expensive? And let's not talk about Comcast... LOL. Heck! Even Spain has better connections. More that 80% of the population have access to ADSL2+ connections (up to 24 Mbps) for 29.95 euros and Ono (Spain's biggest cable ISP) will be starting to give 25 Mbps for 45 euros this summer.

Let's make a new stereotype: Open source is for French people! LOL! (And since they're prowd of it, the government gives open source programs in pen drives for free

) This new stereotype will make Micro$oft and Apple users happy

Sandok · Feb 4, 2007, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heffeque

That's an interesting statement there taking into consideration that French people have faster internet connections than in the States LOL. Their 30 Mbps cable connection costs 19.90 euros and 100 Mbps for 29.90 euros. Most DSL connections in France are 24 Mbps although in big cities 60 Mbps DSL connections are starting to be deployed costing 29.90 euros. And last but not least, there's an FTTH service starting to roll in Paris that's 100 symmetrical Mbps for 79 euros. Not bad at all. It's curious how the States is only starting with FiOS giving 5 Mbps for 39.99 dollars, 15 Mbps for 49.99 dollars and 30 Mbps for 179.99 dollars... Doesn't that seem a little bit expensive? And let's not talk about Comcast... LOL. Heck! Even Spain has better connections. More that 80% of the population have access to ADSL2+ connections (up to 24 Mbps) for 29.95 euros and Ono (Spain's biggest cable ISP) will be starting to give 25 Mbps for 45 euros this summer.

I live next to them and I've used their net... Yes, they get BLOODY fast internet but because of the cheapness, at certain times of day they loose it all... And honestly, quality sucked imho

Honestly, I haven't met a frenchie yet who says he likes his countries ADSL2+ service

~~DudeBoyz~~ · Feb 4, 2007, 06:56 PM

It just seems like it would waste less physical resources if people simply downloaded them instead.

heffeque · Feb 4, 2007, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandok

I live next to them and I've used their net... Yes, they get BLOODY fast internet but because of the cheapness, at certain times of day they loose it all... And honestly, quality sucked imho

Honestly, I haven't met a frenchie yet who says he likes his countries ADSL2+ service

I gess in Europe in general we never like what we have and always complain about everything even if it's not that bad. My grandma from Landisville (Lancaster, PA) has Comcast (6 Mbps) and it's not that great compared to my current 4 Mbps cable connection (soon to be 25 Mbps). Good thing she only uses it for emails and reading some online news and not for gamming LOL!

Sandok · Feb 4, 2007, 07:03 PM

Well I mean, I live in Switzerland and I only got 3.5mb...

Yet usually swiss people don't complain, though that might be because they don't have much of a spine...

Yet, from what I know, French DSL is iffy... But don't quote me, that's what people say

**temeteus82** · Feb 4, 2007, 08:45 PM

s****** I pay 38 € for 2048/512 service ... and the 24/1 Mbps cost 50€

~~DudeBoyz~~ · Feb 4, 2007, 10:29 PM

Here I was feeling all good about having 1.5/384k and it looks to be very slow by comparison to others.

Feb 4, 2007, 03:59 PM	#1
Vikingod Int'l Fish Liaison Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: By the light of lamp I sit and type... Posts: 16,197 Rep Power: 112 System Specs	French students to get open-source software on USB key Source: ComputerWorld ___________ French authorities will give out 175,000 USB memory sticks loaded with open-source software to Parisian high school students at the start of the next school year. The sticks will give the students, ages 15 and 16, the freedom to access their e-mail, browser bookmarks and other documents on computers at school, home, a friend's house or in an Internet cafe -- but at a much lower cost than providing notebook computers for all, a spokesman for the Greater Paris Regional Council said Friday.

Feb 4, 2007, 04:13 PM	#2
~~DudeBoyz~~ banned Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: USA Posts: 1,677 Rep Power: 0	Anytime you point one of things at a student they are going to throw their hands up and surrender...

Feb 4, 2007, 04:33 PM	#3
Sandok DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 9,472 Rep Power: 0	Ah yes, the hilarious french stereotype... On a more serious note, I find that's a good thing for the goverment to do. Must cost them a fortune though!

Feb 4, 2007, 04:36 PM	#4
~~DudeBoyz~~ banned Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: USA Posts: 1,677 Rep Power: 0	I wonder why they don't save a little money and just host the files online for students to download?

Feb 4, 2007, 04:43 PM	#5
Sandok DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 9,472 Rep Power: 0	Well I dunno... Maybe because everyone in France doesn't have the internet? The files might be too big for 56kers and other people with small bandwith? The servers would get totally decimated by those many users? I think they took the logical route... Hosting files isn't cheap from what I know

Feb 4, 2007, 04:48 PM	#6
~~DudeBoyz~~ banned Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: USA Posts: 1,677 Rep Power: 0	It just seems like a lot of physical resources to manufacture all that stuff, I guess. I wonder if a CD would be more effective / resource efficient?

Feb 4, 2007, 06:56 PM	#9
~~DudeBoyz~~ banned Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: USA Posts: 1,677 Rep Power: 0	It just seems like it would waste less physical resources if people simply downloaded them instead.

Feb 4, 2007, 07:03 PM	#11
Sandok DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 9,472 Rep Power: 0	Well I mean, I live in Switzerland and I only got 3.5mb... Yet usually swiss people don't complain, though that might be because they don't have much of a spine... Yet, from what I know, French DSL is iffy... But don't quote me, that's what people say

Feb 4, 2007, 10:29 PM	#13
~~DudeBoyz~~ banned Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: USA Posts: 1,677 Rep Power: 0	Here I was feeling all good about having 1.5/384k and it looks to be very slow by comparison to others.