A fascinating note. Facts and figures that might have missed you amidst all the proprietorial software propagand.
Am grateful to Dr Charles Cosse ccosse@psl.nmsu.edu who sent me this note: "Hello -- Greetings from Las Cruces, NM (USA)! Just writing a quick note of thanks for your continued efforts towards the advancement of FOSS/Linux/etc...I've enjoyed your newsletter and continue to benefit from your information dissemination. Here in Las Cruces, NM, I am attempting to assemble the pieces of a "New Mexico Linux Corps". Please have a look if you get a chance...perhaps someday if your in the area we can meet for lunch! Hope so, meanwhile, thanks again! Sincerely, Charles Cosse http://linuxcorps.nmsu.edu http://www.asymptopia.org "
The only thing is that I'm almost exactly at the other end of the planet ;-) Further contacts for those interested: Charles Cossé, Ph.D. Physics & Software R&D Physical Science Laboratory New Mexico State University ccosse@psl.nmsu.edu 505.522.9291 (voice) 505.522.9428 (fax)
PS: Free/Libre and Open Source Software doesn't just teach you *one brand* of computing. It takes you to an indepth level of learning, which allows its students to cope with any challenges that arise in future...
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New Mexico Linux Corps
The New Mexico Linux Corps is an outreach project at New Mexico State University which partners with interested school districts to compliment and assist their efforts as they expand the resources available to their students in terms of OpenSource software and computers running the Linux operating system.
A quick survey of businesses and government institutions that rely on Linux and OpenSource, daily, serves to emphasize the need for increasing its' presence in our schools: Google, Yahoo, Pixar, Amazon, Sony, NASA, Intel, IBM, OSX, FAA, NSA, CIA, FBI, DOE, DHS, NMSU, UNM, U.S. Military, Raytheon, Locheed Martin, Boeing, General Dynamics, Zianet, Hewlett-Packard, Hughs, Harris, Los Alamos, Sandia, Autozone, Novell, Calculex, Oracle, Shell, Conoco, Home Depot, Digital Domain, U.S. Postal Service, LCPS, State of Massachusetts, State of Indiana, Motorolla, and many more. As of today, Linux is the fastest growing software and powers 8/10 of the worlds' fastest supercomputers.
Many school districts around the country -- indeed, the world -- have recognized the importance of Linux and OpenSource in today's workforce, and successfully educate their students with-and-about it. As New Mexico works to preserve its' status as a center for high-tech creativity we need to empower the next generation with a more complete set of practical skills to implement their innovations. The long-term benefit to the State of New Mexico will be the production of graduates with familiarity and capabilities in an area upon-which our local economies increasingly rely.
We are currently in the process of advancing our program to provide modest financial support for a handful of mobile tech-staff to assist interested schools in Southern New Mexico with installation, training, application development, and technical support. We look forward to working together with these pioneering schools to expand the educational opportunities for their students, our future.
Teaching with-and-about Linux and OpenSource has the potential to profoundly affect the lives of many students in positive ways. The New Mexico Linux Corps project remains committed to serving the students, the schools and the State of New Mexico.