Eric Brown is a high school math and Web design teacher at Keokuk High School. After my last column that provided an overview of open source software, Mr. Brown wrote to tell me how open source is helping Keokuk students in a new computer lab. And, he’s doing all this without spending a bunch of money.

“I was given a lab with PCs that were purchased in 1996 and 1997. There were twenty 233 megahertz Pentium machines with Windows 95,” said Brown in an e-mail interview. “I was spending four to five hours each week cleaning spyware off the machines.”

On top of running slow machines, Brown had a limited number of copies of commercial software like Microsoft Office to let students run. That meant that even to type a document, students had to use one of just two or three machines. Security and privacy were also lacking in the system. “On most machines, a student can erase files or change the settings of other users.”

Then, Brown had an open source epiphany. “I saw an article on slashdot.com about a group that was turning old computers into usable computer labs using Linux Terminal Server.” Linux is an open source computer operating system, similar to Microsoft Windows. “Terminal server” refers to a way to run programs on a server and display them (or the screen images of them) on simplified computers. Terminal server lets people like Brown use cheaper, slower computers at other people’s desks.

Brown’s biggest expense in implementing Linux Terminal Server was his server. The server needed to have the power to run the bulk of software in his lab. “I found a server with four 533 Mhz Pentium 3 processors and one gigabyte of memory on eBay for less than $500. Then, I found a free version of Linux Terminal Server just for school labs called K12LTSP. I loaded the server, played with some of the settings at home, brought it into the classroom and made the switch.”

More Than Saving Money

Linux and terminal server allowed Brown to set up what was effectively a new computer lab for the price of one computer. It helps, too, that the free K12LTSP software also included educational programs like a typing tutor, a math tutor, function graphing and non-violent games.

But, the benefits go beyond the money saved. First, the students have access to their own work, and only their work. “In my lab, students can change the settings to suit themselves, and their changes follow them no matter what computer they work on in the lab,” added Brown. The increased security means the students’ work is more private. More important, it helps protect data on the rest of the school’s computers.

Second, the kids have access to more software. By using free open source programs, students can use any computer in the lab for writing, creating graphics or any other activity. Microsoft Office has been replaced with OpenOffice; Adobe Photoshop has been replaced by The Gimp. And do kids notice the difference? “I’ve had kids sit down and use OpenOffice word processor and presentation software without thinking twice.”

Brown is teaching more than computer skills, too, whether he knows it or not. He’s teaching kids that learning is not about brand names like Microsoft and Adobe. It’s about the basic skills of writing and art and critical thinking. The computers are tools. Tools to be used to enhance our skills. And, he’s taught them that, in an age of the “New Next”, some amazing things can be done with what’s at hand.

My hat is off to all the Eric Brown’s in our schools.