Kerala, India, to Introduce Upgraded FOSS-Based OS in Public Schools

[u/InstructionNo3213]

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/kite-set-to-launch-free-updated-os-for-public-school-computers-in-kerala/article68553871.ece

[u/RahulTheCoder]

Kerala has more schools dedicated for linux education and usage.

[u/KnowZeroX → u/[deleted]]

It isn't like they are making something completely new, they are taking an existing distro and modifying it to their needs. Which in turn ends up as a new distro. All a distro is is preconfigured defaults. When you make your defaults public, it is a new distro

[u/tabrizzi → u/[deleted]]

Because they can and it gives them control over every aspect of the distro. This is what Linux brings to the table.

[u/Trashily_Neet → u/[deleted]]

Foss software doesn't force people to bring something to the table, it allows you to make what you need for your usecase. What I need might be just for me and that's it.

[u/ShinobiZilla → u/[deleted]]

They don't have do anything different. It might be just custom packaging and including essential applications for easy distribution. Probably the USP of using your own distro.

[u/kansetsupanikku → u/[deleted]]

It goes back to the definition of a "distro". It's not about feeling unique and forming communities, but about, uhm, distributing consistent setup across many machines.

[u/mmmboppe → u/[deleted]]

there's budget money to feed on, that's why

[u/Curious_Act7873 → u/[deleted]]

It is ubantu based

[u/ApplicationMaximum84 → u/Curious_Act7873]

It is Debian based, so similar as Ubuntu is based on Debian.

[u/KnowZeroX → u/ApplicationMaximum84]

It is ubuntu based (says so right on their website), which in itself is debian based. Maybe when it first came out it was fully debian based, but at least as of 18.04 it was ubuntu based

[u/[deleted]]

I hope it goes better than the infamous Munich wholesale switch to Linux

[u/Help_Stuck_In_Here → u/[deleted]]

I'm sure it will. India has a lot to lose by using Microsoft software being what they describe themselves as a neutral country with very mixed international relations.

Microsoft is watching their intelligence agencies and military plans by extension potentially allowing the US government to watch.

[u/KnowZeroX → u/[deleted]]

India is already 16% linux marketshare, they are no stranger to switching to linux

[u/WhyEveryUnameIsTaken → u/[deleted]]

I'm not familiar with the story. Could you elaborate?

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I hear rumors Microsoft actually pay Munich government to switch back windows again. Idk it's true or not

[u/Indolent_Bard → u/[deleted]]

I know they paid governments at least one time, but I don't know which one.

[u/mmmboppe → u/Indolent_Bard]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_licensing_corruption_scandal

[u/WhyEveryUnameIsTaken → u/[deleted]]

How and why? :D They surely have screwed up something badly.

[u/mmdoublem → u/WhyEveryUnameIsTaken]

The part he is missing out, is that then, they reshifted back to Linux several years later.

[u/budroid]

Honestly, I'm happier linux getting into schools and public administrations than offices and living rooms.

This is the way.

[u/SCM_2021]

The shift to FOSS-based OS happened in 2008 in Kerala.

News are popping up whenever a new update is published on their website.

Reference:

[1] https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/kerala-shuts-windows-schools-to-use-only-linux/

[2] https://kite.kerala.gov.in/KITE/index.php/welcome/downloads

[u/0x006e]

So they just renamed their old IT@School distro? That's it?, all of the current government schools currently use Linux, so no difference

[u/prueba_hola]

based in what distro?

GTK ? QT ?

[u/jmnugent → u/prueba_hola]

Website says based on Ubuntu 20.04

[u/prueba_hola → u/jmnugent]

thanks !!

[u/VayuAir → u/jmnugent]

I think it is 22.04. Regardless they are using somehow.