From: Petter Reinholdtsen Date: Mon, 11 May 2020 06:31:56 +0000 (+0200) Subject: Generated. X-Git-Url: http://pere.pagekite.me/gitweb/homepage.git/commitdiff_plain/11050eadf8d05e57436828d1c5dce241b3dad6d0?ds=sidebyside Generated. --- diff --git a/blog/Debian_Edu_interview__Yvan_Masson.html b/blog/Debian_Edu_interview__Yvan_Masson.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..5b1b4def65 --- /dev/null +++ b/blog/Debian_Edu_interview__Yvan_Masson.html @@ -0,0 +1,620 @@ + + + + + Petter Reinholdtsen: Debian Edu interview: Yvan Masson + + + + + + +
+

+ Petter Reinholdtsen + +

+ +
+ + +
+
Debian Edu interview: Yvan Masson
+
11th May 2020
+

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. 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. I go to 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. French government has recommended free software +since 2012 (but is far away from applying this to itself), so while +the school computers are still using Windows, all computer 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 live 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: Infact Windows workstations can get the centralized +authentication in a Debian Edu setup, 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, LibreOffice…

+ +

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 :-)

+
+ +
Tags: debian edu, english, intervju.
+ + +
+ + + + + +

+ Created by Chronicle v4.6 +

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