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Feasibility of Linux for Public-Access Labs?

Posted by Cliff on from the penguins-in-public-places dept.

Benanov asks: "I'm doing a literature review on the Feasibility of Linux for a public-access lab (i.e. not Computer Science students at a university but instead the entire student body would have a login), and I haven't found any detailed studies about any places where this is actually done. If you know of any citeable sources about studies / reviews, I'd really appreciate it."

4 of 267 comments (clear)

  1. DNALounge uses Linux kiosks for the public by dzm · · Score: 5, Informative

    Jamie Zawinski has produced a nice document describing how he did it, problems he faced, etc.

    [LINK]

  2. UTD Does It. by saveth · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The University of Texas at Dallas does it. There is a lab full of Red Hat Linux computers and Sun Ray terminals.

    Though their web site is a bit sparse on details, you could probably shoot an email to a member of the staff. They're friendly people, and I'm sure they'd be willing to help you out.

  3. Anser: by 7-Vodka · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Very feasable. My gf wanted to use my computer. I did a quick adduser and told her to log in.
    She's your average windows user, don't ask her about hardware or drivers she just wants browse the web etc.
    She had no trouble logging in through kdm.
    she had no trouble using the default kde3 setup. All this with no help from me (i wasn't even watching)
    She can check her email, browse the web, listen to music and print stuff out (thanks cups + kdeprint).

    A couple of months went by, I haven't watched her use it at all...
    I asked her the other day, so how do you like linux?
    her answer: "It's just like using windows" and "I like the way it looks".

    Seems to me unsophisticated users aren't able to set up a kde3 box but they are sure able to use one.

    --

    Liberty.

  4. What's so new about ...x in public labs? by magi · · Score: 5, Interesting

    For more than 10 years, practically all university students have gotten a UNIX login, and universities have been full of public terminals for students in labs and in hallways. In some richer universities, they have even had *oooh* X-terminals.

    The machines have usually been Sun, but I don't think Linux would be overwhelmingly different from them...

    So forgive me if I don't quite understand the question. UNIX has been a feasible solution for all students for years, and there's little reason to believe Linux wouldn't be.