I know "X for Y" descriptions can be useful shorthand, but "Linux of online learning"? Really?
I know many HNers groaned at yesterday's Morozov essay, but we might do well for ourselves if we take some of the buzzwords back a notch or two. It would go a long way towards preserving the meaning and significance of important words. If anything that is "open" can be "the Linux of something," then what is Linux?
Apart from being very prone to cliche, the problem with "X for Y" is that it's got so much potential to be indulgent.
"Linux of online learning" might convey meaning like "platform," "open," :big ecosystem" and "you can build a brand on top of it." But, it sounds like they are saying "Awesome & incredibly successful platform for learning."
That said, I still don't think it's meaningless, though I don't know how much conviction the people saying it have. Think of the different connotations you get if you replace linux with Windows or iOS.
Like mission statements or any other form of cliche it's bullshit & self indulgent 90% of the time. But if it's done with conviction, it can have (useful) meaning.
If you're wrong, what good is conviction? I'd think that's even more dangerous. It's easy to call out the cynics who misappropriate and obfuscate words for their own gain. It's scarier when people earnestly see nothing wrong with anything open being "a Linux."
Morozov bemoaned the overuse of "open." Now we take that a step further. Anything that meets the already-loose standards for being "open" can also be "a Linux." Is there any workable standard with which to limit this indulgence? Hopefully it's somewhere between a "Twilio for photos" and a realtor holding a "Linux house" for prospective home buyers.
It looks like we have a lot of different "Linuxes for online learning." Perhaps we should peg different open source LMSs to particular distros. Since edX and Stanford's system seems to be destined to be the most popular and user-friendly, we should from now on call it the "Ubuntu for online learning." Further, I suggest Wikipedia be called the "Arch Linux of online learning." Traditional colleges and universities can be called the "Drupal of online learning."
Canvas is way more of an LMS (Learning Management System), than a learning platform. My only experience is with MITx, which has a very different goal than an LMS.
I know many HNers groaned at yesterday's Morozov essay, but we might do well for ourselves if we take some of the buzzwords back a notch or two. It would go a long way towards preserving the meaning and significance of important words. If anything that is "open" can be "the Linux of something," then what is Linux?