Certainly, technology in the classroom is growing across the globe and educators and technology companies alike are paying attention to the potential advance systems such as miniBooks have in our school systems.
A company called RM recently donated 25 miniBooks to a school in the UK that use Linux OS and free software packages such as Open Office. By avoiding using Windows, software licensing fees are bypassed, cutting down on the costs that could certainly discourage other schools from using these mini-laptops and even bringing more computers into their schools.
This could be an interesting case to watch – will this catch on outside of the education sector? Businesses are always looking to cut costs wherever possible. Open Office will only get better as it develops and more and more users will get on board. Of course, that may mean costs for users down the road.
Licensing costs are complex and costly, but a necessary part of doing business today. If you escape the licensing costs, you’ll make up for it somewhere else. Nothing in life is free right?