Linux machine: Linux Mint 17.1 Cinnamon, Dell XPS Studio 435mt (2009) w: Intel i7 920 (2.67 GHz), 12 GB DDR3, DVD, Highpoint SATA 3 PCIe card w/ SSD (OS) and 1 TB HDD (Files), USB 3.0 PCIe card, Nvidia GTX 660 video card. Windows machine: Windows 7 Pro 64-bit, Self-built PC using ASRock 970 Extreme 3 R. 2.0 motherboard w: AMD FX-6300 (3.5 GHz), 8 GB DDR3, DVD, SSD and 1 TB HDD, Nvidia GTX 750Ti video card NAS Server: HP Microserver running NAS4Free (BSD-based) AMD Turion 1.5 GHz dual-core, 2 GB DDR3, 4x WD Enterprise 2 GB HDD in RAID 5, 8 GB USB Flash (OS) I use my Linux box for almost everything, including VMs. I use my Windows box for games and the occasional odd piece of Windows-only software. Everything in the house has access to the NAS server. A lot of the stuff I got used, deeply discounted, or on eBay.

i started doing some work for a non-profit art gallery where Verizon just upsold them 50 Mbps Internet. They still had a slow network because they were all wireless and Verizon would only provide them with a G wifi router. When I spoke to a Verizon rep they said we could get a N wifi router if the gallery bought 150 Mbps service. I recommended a $40 N access point and turn off the Verizon G wifi. Now they're network is very fast internally and they're getting full value of their 50 Mbps Internet service.

And what about the need for people to think independently? Who's view of history and current events will be taught? Where will children learn the skills to create and innovate from a video screen?

It's about choice and future repairability. I bought the machine so I OWN IT. I don't want anyone making decisions what I can and cannot do with it. Maybe someone will get tired of their Windows PC constantly getting toolbars, adware, and other unwanted software installed and want to try an alternative. I work with seniors who have these problems all the time and are very frustrated by Windows. Why are people so willing to give up the right to change and fix things they bought and own to some mega-corporation? I'm glad I'm an old fart because I won't be around when everyone turns into sheeple.

Unfortunately the vast majority of PC buyers are unaware and/or don't care and will buy that crap. They'll pay again when it comes time to have their computer serviced. I will only buy re-configurable and repairable hardware. I've built PCs before and I'll do it again. Not surprised to see that Microsoft's venture into openness was so fleeting.

1.) If you have access to some unused but serviceable computers I would suggest you have the kids tear them apart and rebuild them to see how they work. Your school/district may have access to older computer you can use. Schools often refresh their equipment during the summer and this would be a good time to grab some gear that is going out of service. If not, see if there are any computer refurbishers in the area who can accommodate you. I volunteered recently with a non-profit group that was refurbishing computer to give away to students. 2.) Once you have some working computers have the kids learn how to install an operating system and learn how it interacts with the hardware and applications. I suggest some distro of Linux because it's free (no licensing worries for the school) and it allows kids to explore the system. It also have a number of free programming tools available so the kids could learn some basic programming. 3.) Python is powerful and easy to learn programming language and is included in most Linux distros. It is cross platform, so programs written in it run on Macs and Windows too (when Python is installed on those OSes). The good thing about Python is there is a lot of help available for it aimed specifically at kids. Kids like games and programming games is very popular in Python. If you need a real basic intro to programming concepts you can install Scratch. It is a visual tool designed to help young children learn basic programming concepts and they can do things with it almost immediately. There's a lot of documentation and help for both Python and Scratch. These are the "gateway drugs" to programming. *** All of the above skills are highly marketable and can lead to great careers even without college, although obviously that is always an option. Computers are everywhere and kids should learn how they work, just like kids used to fix cars in the old days. Also programming knowledge does not mean that one has to become a programmer. It would be very helpful in math and science careers, although maybe one of your kids could develop the next Minecraft.

Source tarballs available at the LO download link. make/install time.

Depending on your OS the Windows link above will now take you to either the Windows, Mac, or Linux LO download page. If you have an Ubuntu-based distro you can apt-get install from the developer PPA at https://launchpad.net/~libreof...

I'm 60 and grew up in a housing project in Brooklyn, NY. My mom walked me to Catholic school and back the first 3 years, after that I walked that route on my own, which included crossing the main approach to the Manhattan Bridge (there were traffic signals). After we were granted reduced fare privileges I learned to navigate the city buses to school. When my son was growing up we lived in the suburbs. He was on his own when he went to middle school. As my wife and I worked, he had a key to the house and was responsible for himself until my wife got home in the afternoon. In this neighborhood plenty of kids walk to and from school on their own because there is no busing if you live less than 1.5 miles from the school. Maybe the responsibility I learned walking back and forth to school had an impact on why I was able to get out of the projects and eventually own a house in the suburbs.