Open Options | Decisions

Can open source help you? Decisionmakers and their stakeholders should compare what they're using now with their needs and goals. Every school or district is unique. Current users recommend caution, wise spending, and leveraging the altruistic open source community.

Think about the future. Even if educators don't choose open source software now, they should think about their future needs. As more alternatives to specific proprietary programs emerge, open source may become more attractive to schools. As major technology consumers, schools and districts should consider how their purchasing habits influence the technology industry.

Open Options is a product of the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. These materials are in the public domain and may be reproduced without permission. The following acknowledgment is requested on materials which are reproduced: Developed by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, Portland, Oregon.

This Web site was developed and maintained by the Northwest Educational Technology Consortium. The federal funding for the regional technology consortia program ended on September 30, 2005, and no further updates are planned unless additional funding becomes available. However, much of the content is still useful and NWREL will continue to provide access to this site to support educators and to meet its own technical assistance needs.