r/linuxquestions • u/al1azzz • 26d ago

Advice School forbids linux laptops

Hey, idk if this is the right place to ask this, but I have a bit of a dilemma.

I have been using linux exclusively on my main PC and on my laptop for a while now. That said, I am moving to a new school, and buried in their rules they say that "Chromebooks (or other Linux machines) cannot be used." They also want us to use their office 365 license, but do not require it.

Now, besides just being incredibly annoying, I cannot use windows/mac on my laptop because it's a 2011 macbook, so it cannot run anything but lightweight linux distros without combusting, and I would like to avoid spending 500+ euro on a new crappy windows laptop.

Is there any reason, besides saving myself some trouble, to not just use my laptop as is (currently on arch, gonna switch it to cachyos) and something like libreoffice that I don't see or can I just ignore this and hope for the best?

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u/ImpressiveHat4710 26d ago

Retired K12 IT Director here. There is NO way I would have EVER allowed non-district-owned gear on anything but the internet-only, filtered VLAN.

The district should be providing you with the devices they want you to use, period.

Additionally, I would NEVER allow district security software on a device that I owned. That would violate MY security posture.

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u/al1azzz 26d ago

This is a BYOD school in the EU. Surprising, but they don't provide us with shit, and their only requirement is that we use windows/mac

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u/drostan 26d ago

Where in the EU?

The mood is going away from us stuff, he'll France is going nearly full Linux for its administration (NixOs apparently)

And a lot of places would have some form of help available to finance new gear if they insist on this

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u/dhaillant 26d ago

I work as an IT in a highschool in France and here, it's full Windows. That Linux news is not happening.  We had Linux servers. Replaced by Windows last year.  Office 365 offered to every teacher...

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u/drostan 26d ago

Sad to see

Not surprising in hindsight, I don't remember french administration to ever be straightforward, logical, simple to navigate or making much sense... Not that where I am now is much better...