Why the Cybersource Linux solution for Australian school laptops won't make it

By David M Williams
Wednesday, 10 December 2008 14:26

Opinion and Analysis

Australian Linux and open source implementation and training consultancy, Cybersource, have put forth their 9-step open-source and netbook solution to solve the Australian Government’s one-laptop-per-child promise which has so far had policy makers scratching their red-faced heads. Yet, Cybersource's plan simply won't make traction and here's why not.
Previously, I wrote about the election promise made by Kevin Rudd to supply laptops to Australian high school students, which was better received by the voting public than the states which administer secondary education.

It became clear that the amount of money set aside by the Federal Government was woefully inadequate. This then raised the ire of State Governments who, understandably, did not believe they should have to kick in to fund a promise that, while made by someone of the same political allegiance, was not their own.

Australia’s most populous state – New South Wales (NSW) – however has progressed after securing more cash during a Commonwealth-State funding talk at the end of November.

The resulting deal meant the national Government would fund 197,000 senior public students in NSW to a tune of $2,245 each, to be administered by the NSW Government.

The Department of Education and Training (DET) has determined $1,745 is required to handle deployment, installation and ongoing costs – leaving $500 per student for the hardware itself.

What began as a bold election promise of largesse and investment in the future of school children has devolved into constructing a least-cost solution almost more for the sake of legitimising an election stunt rather than providing genuine educational benefits.

$500 immediately brought forth the current rise of netbooks to my mind, and clearly to that of Cybersource also, who today announced their Linux-based open-source solution.

Yet, let’s face facts: it just plain will not be adopted and here’s why.

CONTINUED