Should my school upgrade to Windows 7?
Yesterday Microsoft launched the eagerly-awaited Windows 7. After the disappointment of Vista, people were keen to see whether Microsoft could redeem themselves and make an operating system that improved noticeably on XP.
In the preceding months the Microsoft marketing machine generated an exceptional amount of buzz, with Windows 7 remaining a popular trending topic on Twitter http://is.gd/4vYbR. Such was the hype before launch that Amazon posted that Windows 7 was the biggest pre-order product of all time, even beating the indomitable Harry Potter http://is.gd/4vYp0
From the sounds of things the wait was worth it, with internet reviews finding the system cleaner, faster, stronger and more usable.
So, what does this all mean for schools? We understand that rolling out a school-wide operating system upgrade is no small task, so you need to be sure that the new system will bring strong enough benefits.
Gerald Haigh, education writer and journalist interviewed six UK schools who were early adopters of Windows 7. He writes about their experiences of upgrading to the new operating system in a paper entitled Windows 7 in schools: The early experiences.
The Governor to Terminate Textbooks
California’s is suffering from a severe budget deficit. Currently the state is desperately trying to meet its $24.3bn shortfall and is fielding ever more original money-saving suggestions.
In addition to the sweeping budget cuts already announced, Governor Schwarzenegger has been asking his Twitter followers for their suggestions. He has already approved a plan to sign his name on state cars in order to increase their sale value.
The cuts are affecting every corner of state spending, not least of all the education sector, which is expected to lose around $3bn.
In a bold move to save money, Governor Schwarzenegger has voiced his support for removing hard-copy textbooks from all schools and introducing eBooks.
“It’s nonsensical and expensive to look to traditional hard-bound books when information today is so readily available in electronic form” Schwarzenegger wrote.
“Especially now, when our school districts are strapped for cash and our state budget deficit is forcing further cuts to classrooms, we must do everything we can to untie educators’ hands and free up dollars so that schools can do more with fewer resources.”
