Microsoft's Gift to Windows 7 Users: Scrooges!

So in the 9-5 we run Windows XP.  We are starting to slowly transition to Windows 7, but we continue to run into licensing issues with this new licensing server that Microsoft graciously ‘blessed’ us with for Windows 7.  So with all the problems, my technicians and even my instructional tech facilitators joke that maybe this is the time to move to Linux.  What is not funny, however, is that these comments continue to become more frequent.

So looking at Ubuntu’s 11.04 Alpha of Natty Narwhal, I see them doing more and more to make Ubuntu and Linux more appealing for schools and enterprises.  In OMG Ubuntu’s recent Alpha review (http://goo.gl/D45bc), they do a nice job going through and showing some of the new features, such as the big Unity dock.  They even created a similar snapping feature like the Aero snap that Windows 7 touts.  Of course, you could use that right now with some tweaks in Compiz, which I did, but Ubuntu 11.04 tries to make that easier.  A large difference between Ubuntu and Windows development is the fact that a community of users helps support Ubuntu.  You see more features going in that we all can use.  Now imagine if we can shift some educational developers over to Ubuntu–we really could get everything we wanted.  With all the focus right now on Android, looking at all these Android tablets in schools, I see a good possibility of either Android or Ubuntu in schools in the future.  Windows continues to shoot themselves in the foot, so the chance is available.  Now we will see what Linux can do with it.