FSF Europe welcomes the TUX&GNU@school column
January, 7th 2003 Hamburg/Essen/Valais
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) Europe officially welcomes Mario Fux' TUX&GNU@school column whose future editions will be published under the umbrella of the FSF Europe.
Each edition of the column contains a presentation of a Free educational software program, valuable tips to web sites that deal with Free Software and education, user testimonies as well as suggestions for new small programs for pupils and teachers. All editions will be published in German and English first.
The FSF Europe provides infrastructure and an organizational framework, such as web space and mailing lists for lectors and translators. With this support, Mario Fux continues to write his column. The column is free documentation and the GNU Free Documentation License (GNU FDL) and will be developed in an open manner. In consequence, any interested person can work on the project as a lector or translator.
TUX&GNU@school is a logical step to extend the promotion of Free Software in the educational sector. Mario Fux emphasizes: "GNU/Linux and Free Software in schools have become at least as viable as proprietary software in the meantime" and continues: "I'm again and again surprised how big the choice of Free educational programs is", contradicting critics of Free Software who often claim a lack of applications for the GNU platform.
Also the didactic and social aspects of the use of Free Software in schools are of special importance: "In the past, computer science education has concentrated too much teaching products instead of comprehension", says Georg C.F. Greve, President of the FSF Europe. Greve continues: "Free Software enables the interactive understanding of outer and inner workings of a computer and furthermore ensures an equality of chances for all pupils".
The FSF Europe thanks Mario Fux for his hitherto efforts and looks forward to his future editions, which are available at http://www.fsfeurope.org/education/tgs/ .
About the Free Software Foundation Europe
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSF Europe) is a charitable non-governmental organization dedicated to all aspects of Free Software in Europe. Access to software determines who may participate in a digital society. Therefore the freedoms to use, copy, modify and redistribute software - as described in the Free Software definition - allow equal participation in the information age. Creating awareness for these issues, securing Free Software politically and legally, and giving people freedom by supporting development of Free Software are central issues of the FSF Europe, which was founded in 2001 as the European sister organization of the Free Software Foundation in the United States.
Contact
FSF Europe: Georg C. F. Greve greve@fsfeurope.org phone: +49-40-23809080 fax: +49-40-23809081
TUX&GNU@school column: Mario Fux foxman@lugo.ch