Re: [Fsfe-uk] Intro and a request for information

[Clive Menzies]

On (10/11/04 11:26), Graham Seaman wrote:
> Chris Lale wrote:
> 
> >Hello Simon.
> >
> >On Tue, 2004-11-09 at 19:52, Simon wrote:
> > 
> >
> >>The school is using RM for the network, and I want to
> >>install any Linux distro as long as the kids (aged about 14 - 16) can
> >>get along with it. But I need some cds to get started.
> >>   
> >>
> >
> >My preference would be for something based on Debian
> >(http://www.debian.org/). It is free software (as in freedom and as in
> >price) - a good ethic to expose young people to. It is also very robust
> >and easy to maintain.
> >
> > 
> >
> Ubuntu is also Debian based and has a live CD.  Since the intention is 
> to provide a user-focused version of debian with reasonably uptodate 
> packages (without the complexities of dealing with unstable/testing), 
> it's probably a good bet for your purposes (disclaimer: I have no 
> experience of running Linux in a school, but am happily using ubuntu at 
> home, and have just booted the live CD for the first time - on a laptop, 
> nice clean window manager, from inserting cd to editing in open office 
> in around a minute).
You might also want to check out Xandros 2.0 Open Desk TOP and MEPIS
(Simply MEPIS live CD).  There doesn't seem to be a download for the
former - I got a CD with Linux User & Developer; I'll burn you a copy if
you'd like to mail me offlist.

You can download the MEPIS CD at:
http://www.mepis.org/book/view/1462?PHPSESSID=b47836f63bddb7261ace926602fbc558

I use debian woody on servers and unstable on my workstation but we've
trialled (superficially ie; installing and a quick few exercises)
Libranet, Ubuntu, Knoppix, Xandros, MEPIS and the new d-i sarge
installer.  Libranet and Ubuntu seem to offer little more than testing
(sarge) and are no easier to install and configure.  Xandros seems to be
a good choice for transition from Windows for those who have no desire
to understand Linux, against which the package choices are limited.
MEPIS is an easy install and an elegant distribution.  Knoppix is great for
testing hardware and obtaining configuration settings but I've never
installed it on the hard disk.
/subjective judgement with built-in prejudice and bias ;)

HTH

Clive


> 
> Cheers
> Graham
> 
> >I used to run an RM network. Unless things have changed, I don't expect
> >that you will be allowed to run Linux over the network. Perhaps you
> >could install Linux on each workstation hard drive, making it dual-boot.
> >Perhaps that is not allowed either!
> >
> >If your workstations have CD drives, you could use live CD's. There are
> >several Debian-based live distros: Knoppix (http://www.knoppix.com/) is
> >KDE-based, Gnoppix (http://www.gnoppix.org) is Gnome-based as is Morphix
> >(http://www.morphix.org). A great advantage of this route is that your
> >students can legally take the CD home and use it on their own computer,
> >copy it, distribute it to friends, etc.
> >
> >Just download the iso image(s) from the website(s) using your school's
> >broadband connection, and burn onto CD. 
> >
> >If you download the full Debian distro, the testing version (Sarge) runs
> >to 13 CDs. A better idea in this case might be to install Debian to
> >workstations directly over the network using your broadband connection.
> >
> >Have fun!
> >
> >Chris.

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