New Technology Reviews!.: Alternative

In Depth: Linux in education: a genuine alternative

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/Linux%20Format/LXF%20139/LXF139.schools.barnix_01-200-200.jpg"> Using free software in education is not just about saving money. It's also about preserving choice, not locking a student's experience into a certain way of doing something. With Linux, there's no vendor lock-in. Free software is more likely to be open-standards compliant, and it's going to be more open to different languages, localities and curricula. It also removes what can sometimes be a barrier to learning; using the same software on your own machine at home. And because there's usually more than one piece of open source software for a job, free software makes it easier to broaden your experience and look at a variety of methods for completing that job. All of which is essential in a world where technology is turned on its head every five years and where training needs are so unpredictable. It's also never too early to start training in IT skills, and in the UK at least, computer training starts for many at primary school level. For some, this will be their first experience of a computer. It's also likely to be the first time they've had any kind of formal training on how to use one, and these first impressions are going to last. So there's a strong argument that teaching should be as unbiased as possible. Yet for a variety of reasons most schools favour Microsoft. There's nothing wrong with this, as experience with Microsoft's ubiquitous products is never going to be wasted, but as Linux users, we all know there might be a better option. Linux and open source offers a genuine alternative, with many advantages over proprietary training that aren't costrelated, although there's no reason why this can't be part of the overall solution. Early starter The best thing about Linux training in education is that there are already people doing it. There are establishments up and down the UK that have decided to include Linux on their syllabus and make a concerted effort to provide their students with the choice. So if you're a parent frustrated with the lack of options for your child, or you're maybe a student who wants to learn Linux skills from the outset, there are places to go and people to speak to. They may be able to help you make the difference. But even if you can't influence the training regime at your local establishment, Linux can still play a part. Unlike in schools, Linux and open source software isn't badly served by professional training. It's this kind of training that pits Linux against Microsoft's certification, and it's the kind that prepares IT people for the real tasks they face while dealing with Linux systems. The Linux Professional Institute, for example, has been dishing out qualifications for over 10 years, and its LPI certification levels have become something of a standard for Linux system administrators. LPIC-1, for instance, covers all the basics of running and maintaining a simple Linux system, from dealing with the command line and helping new users to installing, configuring and connecting a workstation to the network. But more importantly, you don't need any prior experience before starting on the course, and this has made it a great entry point for some of the more adventurous schools in the UK. Case study 1 Barnfield College in Luton, Bedfordshire, is an establishment that offers plenty of further education opportunities for students to take on to a university or workplace. The college has a well-established computing curriculum, including all the common Microsoft applications, web design and data management. <img alt="Barnfield" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Linux%20Format/LXF%20139/LXF139.schools.barnfield_01-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> But more interestingly for us, it also offers a comprehensive range of Linux courses, including an Introduction to the desktop, and uses Linux as the basis for some of its web development programmes. John O'Neill, deputy head of Computing and IT at Barnfield, told us a little about how Linux training became part of the prospectus, "Barnfield College has been offering Linux training courses since 2004. Back then it was an in house-devised course running Red Hat 5.2. Over time we have evolved our provision to include a range of distributions including Damn Small Linux, SLAX, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora and OpenSUSE. "Barnfield College has always prided itself on offering courses at the forefront of technologies. In the early part of the decade the college was an established Novell house using Netware 5. Students were given the opportunity to build and manage Netware servers as part of their coursework. Novell's acquisition of OpenSUSE inspired the teaching staff to investigate this new contender to Network Operating Systems," he told us. When we asked him what the biggest challenge had been in supporting Linux alongside more mainstream operating systems, his answer was a logistical one, rather than a philosophical one: "The biggest problem to the teaching team has been the need for maintaining adequate Network Security on our corporate network, while gaining access to Linux repositories. This has been resolved by the introduction of a dedicated teaching LAN with its own access to the internet." The breadth of Linux training offered at Barnfield is also significant, covering both user and administrator roles. "Linux is integrated into the majority of our course provision and is used to teach students ranging from Level 2 user qualifications through to foundation degree and, of course, the vendor qualifications," O'Neill explained. "Interest in these courses remains high due to the tutor's passion and the ability for students to create their own distributions. The Barnix live CD being one such incarnation. This was developed by two of our 18-year-old BTEC National Diploma students back in 2004," he added proudly. The Barnix distribution can still be found on Distrowatch, and despite being around six years old, still looks in good shape for a distribution built around a technology that's no longer available, in an attempt to ape an operating system that's no longer supported. But it's the potential to access new technology without having to jump through software acquisition hoops that also makes Linux a good choice. As O'Neill put it: "Linux gives our students unparalleled access to technologies ranging from VoIP through to in-depth security testing along with traditional desktop usage." This is why the college has extended its Linux courses to integrate LPI-based certification alongside the CompTIA accreditation the college has offered for sometime, as O'Neill explained: "Following the inclusion of LPI with CompTIA, Linux+, which the college has traditionally delivered, now simplifies vendor certification for students, and not only meets the requirements of industry partners, but also gives a clear pathway to certification." Which leaves the most important question. If you want your child to study Linux at their local institution, how should parents and interested parties make it happen? "Colleges can use Linux across the range of their curriculum. It gives learners access to both GUI and command line interfaces, and even Microsoft is revisiting the command line with their Power Shell interface," he states. "Tutors need to be aware that Awarding Bodies will accept evidence obtained from many different operating systems as part of their coursework. Students and parents can be assured that skills learnt through the use of open source operating systems and applications only serve to better demonstrate the breadth of knowledge they have of cutting-edge technologies used in all business sectors." Case study 2 Another college that's taken Linux to its heart, and one that's making it a vital part of its curriculum, is Forth Valley College in Falkirk, Scotland. Like Barnfield, Forth Valley is another further education college that positions itself for school leavers, adult learning and employers, and offers a similar range of subjects to the Bedfordshire establishment. <img alt="Forth valley" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Linux%20Format/LXF%20139/LXF139.schools.forth_valley-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> We asked Tony Dyer, a lecturer at the college's Department of Applied Science and Computing, how Linux had made its way into the curriculum. "We have always had a version of Unix to allow students to enhance their skill set." he told us. "In the last 15 years we have used Linux, starting with Red Hat to SUSE to Ubuntu and Fedora. We continue to believe that our students benefit from being exposed to environments other than Microsoft, as the workplace tends to have a heterogeneous rather than a homogeneous setup. The opportunity to offer our students a vendor neutral, internationally recognised qualification on top of their HNC/HND and other vendor qualification was too good to ignore." Tony also believes that the current trend for cost-cutting could result in increased demand for Linux skills: "In the current climate of austerity, we also believe that Open Source in general could prove attractive to businesses, and we can contribute by having trained and certified people available to meet business needs and the requirements they have to retrain staff." Like Barnfield, Forth Valley has taken the decision to integrate the widely adopted LPI certification system into its training and qualification, and also cover a wide range of Linux skills and abilities. Dyer gave us an overview of what's on offer, "Within our existing full-time computing courses, we are covering a large percentage of the LPIC-1 syllabus. And for students who complete their year successfully, we offer the chance to do a one-week intensive add-on course to cover the additional material to meet LPIC-1 requirements. We also offer the option to take the exams at our on-site test centre. In addition, there is an ongoing project at the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) to map the LPIC-1 onto a Professional Development Award (PDA) that would be standalone and part of the HNC/HND framework. We are also currently running an 18-week evening programme to deliver the material for LPI-101 and LPI-102 exams that together gives the student LPIC-1 certification." Tony also had some strong ideas on whether there were any advantages that Linux might have over its competitors. "We don't feel that it's a contest between Linux and Microsoft or others," Dyer told us. "The broader and more detailed the knowledge and skills our students have, the better placed they are to gain a good job." It also appears that Linux training of the sort offered by Forth Valley will easily slot into existing established qualifications, such as an HND. This could be a definite advantage if your child is interested in pursuing a career in Linux, but can't find a course locally, or is worried that the eventual qualification might not be recognised by universities or employers.As Dyer told us: "The existing HNC/HND framework covers about 80 per cent of the content of LPIC-1. It is hoped in the emerging new framework that all of LPIC-1 will be covered and will have its own PDA." We then asked whether a student's Linux experience was more likely to be used for further study, or within the workplace. "Industry is using Linux extensively as a server platform, and Google and others are putting Linux into mobile devices and smartphones." he said. "This gives further opportunities for our students to access employment. Students can use their development skills to program Linuxbased devices and their administration skills to configure and run Linux servers." This means that Linux students are leaving college with a cutting-edge education that hasn't made any compromises. Or as Dyer puts it: "Our students will have more opportunities to gain meaningful employment through having a broader skill set and a more comprehensive understanding of computing. We are committed to enhancing all our students's employability." "So far, the students have been really enthusiastic and excited about what the training can offer them." If you can't find a college or school close to you that takes Linux seriously, it might be time to get in touch with the people who make the decisions. If other colleges are making a success of their Linux courses, and integrating them into wider IT qualifications, then there's no reason why the same can't be done elsewhere. You only have to prove there's enough demand, and without getting in touch and letting them know, many institutions won't be aware that there is. Get proactive Many of the colleges that we've spoken to are more than happy to help people who want the same level of coverage for their local college, and it's likely you'll find a great deal of support in local user groups and parent associations. Many schools, for example, are happy to use the experience and services of professional parents to help improve the provision of technology and training to pupils. And even if parents can't get directly involved with the education, there's still a great deal they can do to source, install and run PC hardware, and hopefully, Linux. <a href="http://www.techradar.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</A>

In Depth: Linux in education: a genuine alternative

Using free software in education is not just about saving money. It's also about preserving choice, not locking a student's experien...

The Alternative Workplace - Changing Where and How People Work

I was visiting with an agent recently, and he was talking about losing a key employee that was moving because their spouse was transferred to California. He was talking about not wanting to deal with the hassles and challenges of replacing someone he had finally trained to do a great job. Their responsibilities in the agency included office manager and Account Manager for large Commercial accounts.My suggestion was to keep the person, and allow them to work from California. His first response was to point out that the person was not licensed in California. However, the idea was not to write new business in California but to continue their current job from a remote location. Although it took some time, this owner came to realize what is becoming a national trend - the migration to Alternative Workplaces. When, where and how people work is changing on a daily basis.If your agency is considering Alternative Workplaces, here are 6 questions you will need to answer as you make your decision.Question #1Do You Have A Business Reason For Considering An Alternative Workplace? Working virtually is not "benefit" or a "perk". Creating an Alternative Workspace is no different than any other decision regarding the operation of your agency. Moving to a virtual way of doing business requires a business decision that supports how your agency does business. Here are some valid reasons to consider virtual staff:o	Difficulty in finding qualified staffo	Alternative to brick and mortar due to limited workspaceo	Desire to retain qualified staffAs with any business decision, "do the math" and determine potential revenue (such as new/retained business), anticipated expense (such as the cost of expanding workspace or building a new office) and projected ROI (based on income earned or expenses saved). If you don't have a definite business decision that will make the agency money - do not consider an Alternative Workspace at this time.Question #2Does Your Agency Have An Open Culture and Proactive Management? Rigid agency cultures will have a difficult time adjusting to the transition to an Alternative Workplace. Even though you explain why some staff are able to work from home and others must come to the agency every day, your decision can still create resentment. If your agency is considering an Alternative Workspace, a good time to begin is immediately. Agency culture is not changed overnight. Having a flexible culture is essential to working virtually. Here are some milestones that indicate an open culture and proactive Management:o	Staff feels safe approaching Management with suggestions and concernso	Staff has a strong level of trust in Managemento	Management feels safe confronting staff with areas of needed changeo	Management has created a consistent method of communication with the staff such as regular staff meetingso	Management informs staff of their plan to introduce new ways of doing business, such as changing to Alternative WorkplacesQuestion #3Are You Willing To Establish Clear Ways To Monitor Staff Productivity? One of the first questions I am asked is, "How do you monitor performance for staff that work from home?" The answer is actually quite simple. Every staff position needs, and deserves, a clear job description that includes measurable requirements, expectations and boundaries. The old stand-by where owners want staff that "are mature enough to know the right thing to do and just do it" is an excuse for leadership that is not willing to lead.When it comes to virtual staff, job descriptions and expectations are even more critical. Looking over their work during the day is not possible. Instead, Alternative Workplaces require structures such as:o	Well defined job descriptions that include measurable expectations and productivityo	Well defined consequences that includes both positive and negative resultso	Scheduled reports to Management that provides accountabilityo	Regular communication with the virtual staff so they have regular feedback on the quality of their workQuestion #4Does Potential Virtual Staff Have A Home Office Environment Suitable For A Professional Way Of Doing Business?Just as an Alternative Workspace needs the right person, it also requires the right work environment. A clean desk and professional workspace is important in the agency; and it is even more essential for virtual staff. The kitchen table is not an appropriate work environment. Before implementing an Alternative Workspace, Management will want to establish clear guidelines for working virtually. Some of these guidelines might include:o	A dedicated workspace with a desko	No indoor pets, such as dogs, that can create distractions and inappropriate interruptions during business phone callso	Adequate lightingo	No young childrenQuestion #5Is Management Willing To Invest In Tools, Training and Technology Required For Alternative Workplaces? Alternative Workplaces require a considerable investment in tools, training and technology. Some agencies may try to limit their expenses by asking staff to use their own computers. However, privacy laws and computer liabilities such as viruses and hacking make it essential for an agency to have equipment it can monitor and control its use.Here are some investments needed to implement successful Alternative Workplaces:o	Computer/Monitor (If dual monitors are used in the agency, it should also be part of a virtual office)o	Printero	Dedicated Phone Lineo	Web Camo	Internet Accesso	A virtual private network (VPN) is a private communications network often used by companies or organizations, to communicate confidentially over a public network. A VPN can send data e.g. voice, data or video, or a combination of these media, across secured and encrypted private channels between two points.o	DSL: DSL stands for digital subscriber line. It uses ordinary telephone lines and a special modem to provide an Internet connection that can transmit high-bandwidth information to a user's computer. A DSL line can carry both data and voice signals. The data part of the line is a dedicated connection to the Internet and does not interfere with use of the telephone. DSL is high speed and is always connected to the Internet.o	Cable Internet: Cable Internet uses your local cable TV line to receive broadband Internet content. This data rate far exceeds that of modems and is about the same as DSL. Your local TV cable company is typically the cable Internet service provider.o	Dial-up access: Although Dial-Up may be available and reduce expenses, it is not recommended for an Alternative Workplace. Slow performance will affect the quality of work provided by your staff.o	Satellite Internet: If cable or DSL aren't available in your area, or if the slow dial-up access speeds are not acceptable, consider using satellite internet. It's available to you if you live in the Northern Hemisphere and have an unobstructed view of the southern sky. The service is expensive and the data rate is not as fast as a direct line, but it is a good connectivity alternative if you live in an isolated location.You will also want to consider additional resources such as:o	Online Agency Management System (such as TAM Online or AFW Online)o	Computer Trainingo	Cell Phoneo	Soft Skills Training Including:o	Effective Letter Writingo	Email Etiquetteo	Public SpeakingAn important consideration for any agency is consistency in how files are stored, applications are configured, etc. The reason is so that, if a staff member is out because of illness, termination, etc, any other member of the staff can easily slide into their position. This is also true with your virtual staff.Some items to establish consistent methods include:o	Outlook - How folders and signature is set upo	Paper Port - If your agency uses Paper Port, the folders should be set up the sameo	Voice Mail messageo	How activities are recordedQuestion #6Is Agency Management Aware Of Legal Implications Of An Alternative Workplace? Tax laws are always a consideration when dealing with changes in how you manage staff. But Alternative Workplaces have created new considerations for staff working offsite. Many of these changes have been brought about by the Gramm, Leach, Bliley Privacy Act (GLBA). Some areas to consider include computers, cell phone, PDAs and other electronic devices:o	Protection of NPI (Non-Public Information) and other client datao	Method of destroying data stored at the Alternative Workplaceo	Method of backing up and restoring dataBecause of the legal aspects of Privacy Laws, you are advised to consult with your attorney and E&O carrier to determine your risks and resolutions.Tips For Staying FocusedYou may have up-to-date technology and training, but you must have also effective strategies that help your employee stay focused. Here are some tips that will help them:o	Start working at the same time. Treat telework days like regular workdays: get up, get dressed, and be "at your desk" at the usual time.o	Establish a schedule. Keep work hours similar to the ones you would keep if you were working at your office. Your manager and your co-workers will appreciate knowing when you'll be available.o	Limit distractions. Be careful not to replace office-based interruptions with home-based ones (such as children, neighbors, and friends).o	Plan ahead. Take the appropriate work home. Some work may be better suited for the home office than other work, so be sure to plan the telework a day ahead.o	Take breaks. Plan time to get up and move around. Consider going for a walk or a run during your lunch break to keep your mind fresh.o	Focus on objectives. Work with your manager and colleagues to define clear goals and objectives against which your performance can be objectively measured.o	Consider using instant messaging. Similar to a chat room, IM is a fast means of communicating with one or more people in real time over the Internet. IM gives you a way to show and update your communication status throughout the day. For example, when you need a couple of hours of undisturbed concentration, set your status as "Busy" and let everyone know that you'll be slower than usual to reply to e-mail messages and phone calls.	 	 		 			 				 					 						Ted Baker is the president of Advanced Automation, which for 17 years has offered agency consulting services addressing a variety of management and agency development issues. He also is an author and frequent conference speaker. Ted can be reached at <a href="mailto:questions@advancedautomation.com">questions@advancedautomation.com</a>

The Alternative Workplace - Changing Where and How People Work

I was visiting with an agent recently, and he was talking about losing a key employee that was moving because their spouse was transferre...

Chit Chat for Facebook – The Desktop Alternative to Facebook Chat

<img border="0" height="200" src="http://technologyforum.x10.mx/image//CCFB-MainMenu01.png" width="108" /> 
 
Chit Chat for Facebook is a convenient, desktop based alternative to the standard <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=3630952467398438450&postID=8718039192635145452" target="_blank">Facebook chat</a> application. With a user friendly interface it offers an intuitive method of holding conversations with all of your Facebook friends and updates you whenever you receive a new message. While it’s unlikely to prove much use to the lighter Facebook chatters, for the heavy conversationalists this <a href="http://www.chitchat.org.uk/" target="_blank">Facebook chat software</a> will prove especially useful and beneficial.<a href="http://draft.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=3630952467398438450&postID=8718039192635145452" name="more"></a> 
The Facebook chat client has proven problematic for a number of users. It is prone to disappearing when you need it most and because it is essentially an add-on to the main Facebook site it does not offer the same kind of functionality that a dedicated Instant Messenger (IM) offers. 
Chit Chat Facebook Integration 
Chit Chat integrates well with Facebook. It is specifically designed for the purpose of chatting to your Facebook friends. Once you’ve downloaded and installed the software, which is a fairly standard and painless procedure, you can log in using your Facebook credentials. This means you don’t need to create yet another login for yet another site or piece of desktop software. It also means that all of your contacts from Facebook can be imported into your Chit Chat application. 
Appearance 
Aesthetically, Chit Chat looks a lot like the older versions of MSN Live Messenger so anybody with previous experience of this software will feel quickly at home. Users looking for ways to change the look and feel of the software interface should consider looking elsewhere because while Chit Chat offers a good selection of features for chat it is limited in these user design features. 
Contacts 
Contacts are categorized, initially as online or offline and you are given the option to add your own category lists and then populate these lists with contacts from your Facebook account. 
In the chat window itself you will be presented with a number of floating tabs to represent those conversations that are open at the present time. Clicking on one will take you to your most recent conversation with that contact from where you can read previous posts or join in the conversation. In the conversation pane you can type text, add basic formatting such as bold or italics, and insert a limited number of emoticons but that’s basically it. 
Freedom From Your Browser 
What Chit Chat gains from running independently to Facebook is the freedom of not having to log in to Facebook. You don’t need to view everybody’s status updates and you won’t be waylaid filling in questionnaires and surveys. You can also log out of Facebook on your browser which can save you a browser tab at the very least. 
Posting To Facebook 
The integration between the two means that because Chit Chat is essentially logged in to your Facebook account, you can also post messages to your contact’s walls without having to visit the main Facebook site. Right click on a contact’s name and you will be given the option to message them directly or post on their wall. 
Saving And Storing Conversations 
You can also save your chat conversations in Chit Chat. This provides you with a means to go back and read old conversations either for personal nostalgia or because you’ve forgotten something vital from a conversation with one of your contacts. This can be done quickly and directly from the chat window and can help ensure you never forget or lose vital information. 
Chit Chat is a convenient application for those Facebook members that like to chat with friends but, for whatever reason, do not like using the main Facebook chat application. 
Who Won’t Appreciate Chit Chat? 
If you’re looking for an IM with all the trimmings that allows you to change the skin of the messenger and offers advanced text formatting then Chit Chat is unlikely to be the best solution. Chat applications need to integrate with the main Facebook chat application and because the options on here are limited it means that external applications are similarly limited. 
Who Will Appreciate Chit Chat? 
However, if you want a pared down version of MSN Windows Messenger that integrates directly with Facebook, allows you to free up a tab in your browser, and offers a few more functions than the standard <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=3630952467398438450&postID=8718039192635145452" target="_blank">Facebook Chat apps</a> then Chit Chat could prove to be the ideal solution for you. It is certainly more convenient and the tabbed conversation windows, and desktop alerts make it a useful little tool. 
 By Matt Jackson

Chit Chat for Facebook – The Desktop Alternative to Facebook Chat

Chit Chat for Facebook is a convenient, desktop based alternative to the standard Facebook chat application. With a user friendly interfa...