ClassLink's CEO, Berj Akian, recently had the opportunity to speak with Bill Kendrick, lead developer of Tux Paint, a free, award-winning drawing program for children ages 3 to 12. Tux Paint combines an easy-to-use interface, fun sound effects, and an encouraging cartoon mascot who guides children as they use the program. Best of all, it’s Open Source so IT is 100% free to individuals or school systems.

With ClassLink LaunchPad, your teachers and students have 24/7 access to their applications and school work from any computer, anywhere. Increasingly, we are helping districts test and deploy open source software applications on that LaunchPad. This interview is part of a series to help districts better understand open source software options.

Recent surveying of Technology Directors found that widespread open source usage will grow eight-fold from 2006 to 2011.

Below is an excerpt from the interview with Bill Kendrick:

Bill, I’m pleased to say that ClassLink and many of our clients are big fans of TuxPaint. It’s a great tool that does the job in many elementary classrooms. Just curious...were you determined to make the program open source, e.g. free, from the start?
Yes, open source is easier to develop. There’s no tax, no problems getting it out there, easier support and expansion, and people are more willing to donate time to something that is free. Besides, with a single person working on it development couldn’t be funded in the way a full business would need to be.

Let’s talk a bit more about Tux Paint and the Tux Paint movement. How many downloads have occurred?
1.3 million at a minimum plus the distribution and reproduction of cd roms which are tough to count.

How do you see the open source sector evolving in the future? Do you believe there will be special types or areas of software where open source will totally take over?
I don’t think there will be a place where open source will be the only choice. However, the education marketplace is a natural area for open source: embedded systems, pda’s, Tivo, NETGEAR. Where there is a low cost appliance, it doesn’t make sense for an expensive software cost. Other naturals are the public sector and government.

If you could embark on a new open source project, what would it be?
It would be nice to ‘finish’ Tux Paint but that will never happen. Printshop is still around...it’s an extension of TP with clip art. I think a word processor program that teaches you about writing would be neat.

To read the entire interview or to find out more about ClassLink, click here.

Our thanks to Bill Kendrick for his time with this interview and especially for providing such a great tool for kids and educators! You can contact Bill at bill@newbreedsoftware.com.