The Open Source (OS) in educational institutions of Russia

2010: A research of cost of use of Open Source at schools from IDC

IDC B February, 2010 of Microsoft suggested to prolong for $8 licenses for packets of the programs on each school computer, and suppliers of Open Source ask about $6 for equipment of the PC only the operating system (other software is delivered free of charge), according to the report IDC. It is cheaper to schools to use license software, than the open source (OS). Such paradoxical conclusion was drawn by Research Firm IDC.

The research IDC (August, 2010) is prepared by request of the Center of information technologies and the educational equipment of Moscow, the logging-in city Department of Education. It turned out that to use free software 3.3% more expensive, than license. The analyst IDC Russia Victor Tsygankov explains it with structure of cost of ownership, other than the licensed software. Producers of Open Source unlike developers of license software most often do not offer a free support and personnel training. The president of Microsoft in Russia Nikolay Pryanishnikov says that with assistance of his company more than 100,000 teachers free of charge were trained. There is not a lot of specialists who could explain bases of Open Source and their services are expensive, Tsygankov considers. It is how more expensive to train the teacher for Open Source class, than for a class with the "closed" software, he did not specify.

Train teachers to use Open Source costs not much, the CEO of developer of Alt Linux Open Source Alexey Smirnov assures. For example, for the last year on it in Russia no more than 200 million rubles left.

IDC measures efficiency of use of software generally for business companies for which the licensed software is frequent more effectively, than Open Source, the president of Leta Group Alexander Chachava specifies. But for the educational system of Open Source gradually becomes the standard: it is more difficult to master it, but it allows to study the computer better.

2009: Mass implementation of Open Source at schools

In 2009 accession to the project of not pilot educational institutions continued. In free access the developer kit (Software Development Kit — SDK) used during creation of school distribution kits Linux was laid out.

In February there was expanded edition of a server distribution kit for educational institutions "School Server".

In March the number of the not pilot schools which joined an implementation project of Open Source exceeded number of pilot.

2008: School Linux, pilot projects

In 2008 implementation of a packet of Open Source in schools of three pilot regions of Russia began: Perm Krai, Republic of Tatarstan, Tomsk region. The partner companies held installation seminars for schools and installation of a packet on school PCs. The free support system was developed in pilot regions.

Pilot approbation was carried out at 12 schools of the Republic of Tatarstan, 12 schools of Perm Krai and 10 schools of the Tomsk region, according to the results of approbation sets of packets of Open Source are finished.

The same year the Federal agency by training released the circular letter 'About use of PSPO for educational institutions of the Russian Federation' of June 17, 2008 No. 15-51-450/01-09 in which suggests educational institutions to accept from any region of the Russian Federation of a fate in approbation of a packet of Open Source. Applications for participation from different regions of Russia arrive.

In July-August there took place mass implementation of Open Source in schools. As of August 31, its installation in pilot regions was fully completed.

In September there was a new edition of a packet of Open Source for schools.

2007: Project startup of delivery of Open Source to schools

In October, 2007 there was an order of the Prime Minister according to which the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Communications was recommended to buy the license for 3 years for the proprietary software for all schools and to provide development and deployment in Open Source schools according to the list of the programs entering a standard (basic) software package. This initiative became one of the first and main incentives of market development of Open Source in Russia.

Procurement of three-year licenses for the proprietary software is conducted to remove heat of the problems connected with the pirated software and during this time qualitatively to prepare an education system for transition to Open Source.

2.7 billion rubles were selected for purchase of software for 675,000 school computers from the federal budget. After validity period of licenses of the proprietary software each region should solve whether to pass to schools on Open Source or to use the licensed software.

In November the Federal agency by training held an open competition on the right of the conclusion of the government contract on creation of a packet of Open Source and its pilot approbation in educational institutions. According to the results of tender by the contractor there was a RBC Center (Armada Group) company, and collaborators — the leading domestic software developers (ALT Linux, Linux Ink, etc.).

On the basis of requirements of a standard basic software package the packet of Open Source for needs of educational institutions which is not requiring runtime royalty fees was developed.

2006: Ponosov's case

In November, 2006 the prosecutor's office accused Alexander Ponosov, the former director of rural school of the village Sepych of Vereshchaginsky district of Perm Krai, of use for training of children in information science of non-licensed versions of Windows OS. According to the investigators, Ponosov consciously used non-licensed versions of Windows and by that applied to the owner - Microsoft - material damage on the amount of 266 thousand rubles.

Ponosov claimed that computers with Windows were admitted to school from Management of capital construction of the Perm edge administration with already set software. The principal also said that he has no sufficient level of computer literacy to estimate whether the set copies of operating systems are legal or not.

Case came under the spotlight of many Russian officials and politicians who spoke out in defense of the teacher. In February, 2007 the court closed Ponosov's case in "insignificance" of the caused damage. In March, 2007 the superior court cancelled this solution and remanded case for a new trial, and in May the director of rural school was found guilty and is sentenced to a fine of 5 thousand rubles for benefit of the state. In December, 2008 it was completely justified by the decision of the Perm regional court.