Getting started with Open Source Software
Dipping a toe in the pond
Welcome to the world of Open Source Software. The surprising thing is that it doesn't look very different to any other sort of software. If you had two good quality applications running side by side on the screen, and one was Open Source, there's a good chance you wouldn't be able to spot which was which.
But, there's a big difference you can't see on the screen: Open Source Software normally doesn't cost anything. Install it on as many computers as you like, totally legally, without paying a penny. That makes trialling the software easy. No worries about licensing, expiring trial periods, adverts or spyware. Just download the software, install it on a PC alongside your current applications and give it a go. Most Open Source applications run on a range of operating systems (Windows, Mac OS X and Linux, for example).
Don’t forget that there is also lots of software available to run on webservers – website content management systems, virtual learning environments, timetabling and resource allocation/room booking systems, even fault loggers for your IT helpdesk! A large proportion of the software that supports the phenomenon of Web2.0 is OSS., From a user’s perspective, these web applications work in any browser so you can try them without altering your desktop PCs at all.
Of course, just like any other application, an Open Source application won't be quite the same as its alternatives. That's true whenever you change applications (and sometimes when you upgrade from one version to a newer version, such as the upgrade to Microsoft Office 2007 from earlier versions).
The best approach is to go in with the right expectations. You'll probably be able to figure out the basics of a new application without any problems and, like all software, getting the most out of it and exploring the more esoteric features is likely to need some additional personal effort or external training (whether that's from a book, a formal course, an Internet guide, help from others on this site or in the wider open source community, or something else). Software that performs a more complex task, such as 3D modelling, video editing or generating mathematical formulas, is likely to be harder to learn, but how-to guides are often available.
Five easy ways to get started with Open Source Software
Schools are using Open Source in many different ways. Some run their ICT on 100% free and open source software (i.e. using an open source operating system such as Linux, and open source applications running on it). Many have a mixture of open source and traditional proprietary (paid for) software - there are lots of open source applications which run on Windows.
When switching some or all of your ICT to Open Source, the same guidelines apply as for any IT change: don't try to do too much at once, minimise the change from the users' perspective and keep staff and students informed.
This might mean trying open source software out on only a few computers to start with, or only with a small ICT-confident group (such as the ICT subject team and students).
We've identified the five common ways that Open Source Software is successfully introduced into schools.
1. Fix a problem or meet a need
Perhaps the easiest way to introduce Open Source is to use it to fix a problem or meet a need not currently being met. Do you want students to learn 3D modelling or edit video? Or perhaps to enable staff and students to access resources, and submit homework, from their homes? Is there something that would be useful for a particular course or activity but can't be done at the moment? You might need the help of an expert to clarify the requirement and identify the best solution. It could be that no application does exactly what you want; but one of the benefits of Open Source Software is that it can be modified: just find a programmer who can add on the extra feature you need.
2. Do something cool with desktop applications
Most schools would love to do more with multimedia, but often the software they need turns out to be prohibitively expensive (eg Photoshop). Perhaps only a few copies could be afforded or none at all. Open Source offers some great alternatives, many of professional quality, allowing far wider access to advanced multimedia for students. For image and photo editing, take a look at Gimp. For vector drawing there's Inkscape; Audacity for audio editing; Scribus for desktop publishing; plus applications for video capture, video editing and more. The Open Source licence allows schools to distribute software freely: as well as installing the software on school computers, give copies to students to install at home.
3. Set up a thin client café
Instead of simply discarding PCs that are getting old, make Open Source a useful addition by creating an Internet Café in the school and reusing the old machines. This could use thin clients (small, low running costs, easy management) or old PCs, linked to a server.
4. Use Open Source Software on servers
Many modern schools rely on servers to a greater or lesser extent. These server computers might be onsite or in a data centre hundreds of miles away. Users don't access the servers directly; they'll typically do it via software on their PCs. For example, students might use a web browser to access their e-mail on a school web server, or Windows Explorer to access files stored on a school file server.
That gives servers an advantage: it's often possible to move functions onto Open Source Software on servers without the users seeing much, if any, change. The desktop software which is used to access the servers – the browser and file manager in the examples above – doesn’t change at all. Servers have another advantage too: there aren't so many of them. Installing a new application onto hundreds of computers can be a lot of work. Installing it onto one server or just a few is much quicker.
Many schools have decided to keep Windows, with the standard applications, on their desktop PCs while moving to Open Source server alternatives for e-mail, calendaring, file sharing, intranet servers, proxy servers, instant messaging or content filtering. One reason for this is that their technical and teaching staff and students are familiar with the applications and the environment, and don’t want the pain and effort of a major transition, even when the new software holds out the benefit of being free to use.
Take a look at our software directory for examples of server software which schools are using.
5. Install web applications
Web applications run on a web server and are accessed with a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Firefox. A big benefit is not needing to change anything on the school’s desktop PCs: they should all have a modern web browser installed already. In schools, the Moodle Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is possibly the best known web application, but there is no shortage of others offering e-mail, calendaring, wikis (like Wikipedia, itself run on Open Source Software), content management systems for websites, web forums and many more.
Take a look at our software directory for examples of server software which schools are using.
Open Source Software - what to watch out for
Changing ICT services presents a number of technical, administrative and staff development challenges and Open Source is no exception. In fact it presents a few additional challenges, but nothing that can’t be overcome by a bit of evaluation, preparation and planning.
For a start, just like any other software, Open Source Software varies in quality and functionality. Does it do what you want? Is it well documented? Who is the software designed for - beginners, or expert users? Is there a strong online support group to help you when you get stuck? Does it have a good reputation? Does it support open standards (so you could take the files you create in that particular application and open them in a different application)?
The nature of Open Source Software development is that a developer makes their software available to the world while it is still being developed. This is a huge benefit. It allows other software developers to take a look and, if they like what they see, to help make it better. People share and collaborate.
For the unwary user, this is something to be aware of. Usually there will be a version of the software which is the "stable" version, suitable for general use, as well as a development or "beta" version. The latest "beta" version may have attractive extra features but just because they exist doesn't mean they're ready for use in schools as they may not yet be adequately tried and tested. Many applications are under development, and some ideas are abandoned before they reach the point of being ready for general use. Most applications have version numbers (for example, Firefox 3, Internet Explorer 7 or Gimp 2.4). By convention, Open Source Software with a version number below 1.0 is not considered ready for general use. Once the developers believe the application is ready, they'll call it version 1.0 (or higher). There are occasional exceptions to this, but it's a good rule of thumb.
There are other ways to tell if an application is right for your needs. A popular Open Source application will have its own website, so take a look (search on Google or another search engine) and see what information is provided. Does it have forums? If so, how busy are they and how helpful do the answers to problems seem to be? Install the application and give it a try. Does it have good help documentation? Some applications, like the Gimp image editor www.gimp.org, have how-to guides across the web, easily found by searching.
Reviews in magazines and on websites will often give you a better idea as to whether the software is right for you, and there are attempts such as Business Readiness Review www.openbrr.org to formalise this. If in doubt, ask: there are plenty of online forums where you can say “this is what I want to do: which application would you recommend?” and people who have done similar things will give you the benefit of their experiences.
Example: Gimp image editor
Gimp is an advanced image and photo editor, similar to Adobe Photoshop. Let's take a look at its website www.gimp.org
- It's under current, active, development: the front page of the website lists the latest stable and development releases (a development release is designed for testers and developers to try out - not everything will work, but it will have the very latest features; a stable release is for normal users).
- It has a page of screenshots and list of features.
- Gimp can be downloaded for Windows, Mac and Linux
- A quick Google search reveals lots of active user forums, such as Gimptalk www.gimptalk.com which also includes how-to guides
- The main Gimp website www.gimp.org has a useful "Get involved" page with lots of suggestions on how people can contribute.
More benefits of Open Source
The obvious benefit of Open Source Software is getting high quality applications without needing to pay for licence fees. There are other benefits that users often discover as they do more with Open Source.
Open Source licences allow you to install the software on as many computers as you like without paying any more, but that's not all. You're allowed to give the software away to others (so students and teachers can install it on their PCs at home).
Open Source is about communities: it's a fundamentally different way of creating software, allowing schools to get more from it than just the applications. While it’s absolutely fine to just use the software as a consumer, in some circumstances students and teachers can become part of the communities around the software. They can get involved not just in asking questions, but answering them too. They can take part in improving the software: programming, graphic design, on-line guides, documentation, usability, bug-testing, suggesting new features.
There are lots of ways to participate without being a programmer.
Getting support
Like everything to do with computers, the time comes when schools need support, from planning new implementations to getting systems installed, keeping them running and resolving problems. As with anything IT-related, no-one knows everything so you may need to look around to find the best option.
Luckily, there's no shortage of choices where Open Source is concerned. Many schools find that, for day-to-day problem resolution and how-to questions, the (free) online support from community members is more than sufficient. There are a lot of companies and freelance consultants who provide all the services needed on a commercial basis. Becta and local authorities may also be able to point you in the right direction if you get stuck.
One lesson several schools have learnt is not to rely solely on a single internal expert or champion for any ICT system, and the same for Open Source Software. If that person leaves, there's no support and the kinds of issues that all software has and could be easily fixed with the right knowledge suddenly start turning into feelings or complaints that "this stuff is no good". This tends to be more of a problem with Open Source Software simply because, at the moment, it's less familiar to most users.
Building a small team of people who can both support and champion Open Source Software (and any other developments in your school's ICT) gets round this problem. You can take some of the money saved on licences and spend it on training; or work with a company or freelancer specialising in supporting your software.