Taking a huge step toward its goal of a computer for every high school student, Indiana will introduce 1,600 new desktop computers running Linux-based operating systems and software in its classrooms this fall. The program could be the largest such undertaking involving open-source software ever carried out in U.S. schools.

Novell Inc., the industry's largest provider of Linux services and applications, and Linspire Inc., a Linux provider based in San Diego, will provide the OS and the applications. Discount hardware provider Wintergreen Systems Inc., a local Indiana company, and Dell Inc. will supply the computers.

Indiana officials say using Linux-based systems will enable them to save what could amount to millions of dollars on operating systems and software. If successful, the state's open-source initiative could serve as a model for other states or districts around the nation to follow.

Schools in South America, Australia, and other parts of the world already have implemented large-scale open-source software projects, but K-12 schools in the United States so far have been slower to adopt open-source solutions--particularly at the desktop level. Concerns about the expertise needed to support Linux and the range of educational applications that are available to run on it are some of the factors that have hindered its adoption in U.S. schools.

In response to these concerns, Linspire CEO Kevin Carmony said his company's offerings can perform at least 80 percent of the functions of most proprietary software. Linspire offers an office suite, media software, and a number of other applications. Carmony said these applications are "completely interoperable" with proprietary solutions, answering concerns about compatibility in an environment where documents are exchanged between one kind of OS and another.

"More and more, you're finding that these companies are offering a Linux version of their software," Carmony said.

For applications that function only on Windows or Macintosh operating systems, there are solutions that permit these applications to run natively on the Linux OS, such as the WINE Operation, an open-source project that provides a complete implementation of Windows for Linux and Unix systems.

Regarding the complexity of Linux, companies such as Linspire and Novell offer full support services, both through their own operations and through local partners. Linspire also provides a deployment solution called "Click and Run" (C&R), which permits IT directors to install and update the software remotely.

"About 2,500-ish applications can be remotely installed," said Carmony. "Schools can pick and choose what they like from our [online] warehouse. It's all installed digitally; you're not worrying about authorization codes, CDs--all that [stuff]. The technological infrastructure is already all there [in Indiana], and we're working with the state to make the administrative function even more robust."