You guys may have better luck than purely "computer geek" angle of attack.  People are talking about "robotics" and "automation" now.  Eventually, though, what we need is workforce trained/educated in these robotics and automation.

Problem is, "Linux course" is like those "shop classes" back in High School.  You need teachers to teach the students, and you need jobs after they finish the courses.  It's difficult to join all the dots, and create ecosystem.

In robots, for example, you are essentially applying "Linux fundamentals" to robotic application.
    Eg.  trouble shooting, editing file, writing scripts, running servers, etc.
In Epson robots, you're working with custom Visual Basic and Visual Studio (customized for Epson robots, of course).  You interact with "robotic controller" much like you would Android device.

So, you guys may have better luck, if you set robot target, then say you need "Linux fundamentals" to work with these robots.  Then, Linux will become means to an end.
-- 


On 2026-07-23 14:19, Robert Soulliere via Talk wrote:
Howard,

This sounds interesting. I work at Mohawk College in Hamilton and would like to push for more Linux based courses and resources in the college system.  

I wonder what responses you got when you asked your members if they would be interested in GNU/Linux? Were they interested? Could the question be asked to your members across Ontario or in an official survey? This could help in a push for more Linux in the Ontario education system.

Thanks,
Robert 






On Thursday, July 23, 2026 at 01:09:49 p.m. EDT, Howard Gibson via Talk <talk@lists.gtalug.org> wrote:


On Wed, 22 Jul 2026 23:30:28 -0400
William Park via Talk <talk@lists.gtalug.org> wrote:

> Main problem with Linux for general public is, "What do I do with it?"
>
> What I do now on Linux, can be done on Windows.  Eg. email, web, word
> processor, spreadsheet, calendar, video, VM, etc.  There is no reason
> for general public to learn Linux just for Firefox, Thunderbird,
> LibreOffice, VirtualBox, etc.

William,

  I am OACETT's (Ontario Association of Certified Technicians and
Technologists) Toronto West chapter chair.  I am looking for events
that would interest our members, and I have been asking if anyone is
interested in GNU/Linux. It might be fun to run an event in which we
demonstrate a GNU/Linux install, probably of Ubuntu, even though I am a
Fedora guy.  We are supposed to reach out to colleges, corporations,
and community.  This might be a good community outreach.  I can do the
presentation, but it would be nice to have a second opinion or point of
view.

  Any thoughts?

  Gratuitous boilerplate...

  OACETT, the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians
and Technologists, is Ontario's independent certifying body for
engineering and applied science technicians and technologists and it
confers the designations C.Tech. (Certified Technician) and C.E.T.
(Certified Engineering Technologist). These designations are recognized
across Canada by employers and other engineering professionals.

--
Howard Gibson
hgibson@eol.ca
http://home.eol.ca/~hgibson
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