It has been way too long since my last interview, but as the +Debian Edu / Skolelinux +community is still active, and new people keep showing up on the IRC +channel #debian-edu and +the debian-edu mailing +list, I decided to give it another go. I was hoping someone else +might pick up the idea and run with it, but this has not happened as +far as I can tell, so here we are⦠This time the announcement of a new +free software tool to +create a school year +book triggered my interest, and I decided to learn more about its +author.
+ +Who are you, and how do you spend your days?
+ +My name is Yvan MASSON, I live in France. I have my own one person +business in computer services. The work consist of visiting my +customers (person's home, local authority, small business) to give +advise, install computers and software, fix issues, and provide +computing usage training. I spend the rest of my time enjoying my +family and promoting free software.
+ +What is your approach for promoting free +software?
+ +When I think that free software could be suitable for someone, I +explain what it is, with simple words, give a few known examples, and +explain that while there is no fee it is a viable alternative in many +situations. Most people are receptive when you explain how it is +better (I simplify arguments here, I know that it is not so simple): +Linux works on older hardware, there are no viruses, and the software +can be audited to ensure user is not spied upon. I think the most +important is to keep a clear but moderated speech: when you try to +convince too much, people feel attacked and stop listening.
+ +How did you get in contact with the Skolelinux / Debian Edu +project?
+ +I can not remember how I first heard of Skolelinux / Debian Edu, +but probably on planet.debian.org. As I have been working for a +school, I have interest in this type of project. + +
The school I am involved in is a school for "children" between 14 +and 18 years old. The French government has recommended free software +since 2012, but they do not always use free software themselves. The +school computers are still using the Windows operating system, but all +of them have the classic set of free software: Firefox ESR, +LibreOffice (with the excellent extension Grammalecte that indicates +French grammatical errors), SumatraPDF, Audacity, 7zip, KeePass2, VLC, +GIMP, Inkscape⦠+ +
What do you see as the advantages of Skolelinux / Debian +Edu?
+ +It is free software! Built on Debian, I am sure that users are not +spied upon, and that it can run on low end hardware. This last point +is very important, because we really need to improve "green IT". I do +not know enough about Skolelinux / Debian Edu to tell how it is better +than another free software solution, but what I like is the "all in +one" solution: everything has been thought of and prepared to ease +installation and usage.
+ +I like Free Software because I hate using something that I can not +understand. I do not say that I can understand everything nor that I +want to understand everything, but knowing that someone / some company +intentionally prevents me from understanding how things work is really +unacceptable to me. + +Secondly, and more importantly, free software is a requirement to +prevent abuses regarding human rights and environmental care. +Humanity can not rely on tools that are in the hands of small group of +people.
+ +What do you see as the disadvantages of Skolelinux / Debian +Edu?
+ +Again, I don't know this project enough. Maybe a dedicated website? +Debian wiki works well for documentation, but is not very appealing to +someone discovering the project. Also, as Skolelinux / Debian Edu uses +OpenLDAP, it probably means that Windows workstations cannot use +centralized authentication. Maybe the project could use Samba as an +Active Directory domain controller instead, allowing Windows desktop +usage when necessary.
+ +(Editors note: In fact Windows workstations can +use +the centralized authentication in a Debian Edu setup, at least for +some versions of Windows, but the fact that this is not well known can +be seen as an indication of the need for better documentation and +marketing. :)
+ +Which free software do you use daily?
+ +Nothing original: Debian testing/sid with Gnome desktop, Firefox, +Thunderbird, LibreOfficeâ¦
+ +Which strategy do you believe is the right one to use to +get schools to use free software?
+ +Every effort to spread free software into schools is important, +whatever it is. But I think, at least where I live, that IT +professionals maintaining schools networks are still very "Microsoft +centric". Schools will use any working solution, but they need people +to install and maintain it. How to make these professionals sensitive +about free software and train them with solutions like Debian Edu / +Skolelinux is a really good question :-)
+ +