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LiveLinux CD for Computer Summer Camps?
MCS asks: "I've been working at a summer computer camp for the past eight years, and there has been one recurrent concern -- the software we use. In the past we have used 3D Studio Max, Macromedia Dreamweaver/Flash and the Adobe Premier/AfterEffects. At the end of the week, campers are excited to use these programs and want to continue to learn with these products--- But as we all know, these commercial products are not cheap. My hope this year is to make a live Linux CD (ala Knoppix) with GNU/Opensource software that campers can use at the camp. At the end of the week, the campers can take home their live Linux CD and continue to use it at home. So I ask you, what software should be on a disc like this?"
The summer camp you describe sounds VERY VERY cool. I wish something like this had been around when I was growing up.
Of course Gimp would be useful. Along with OpenOffice and Blender.
As for the macromedia shockwave stuff, perhaps you could get a group discount on the student edition, and get codeweavers to donate some copies of their version of wine for you to run the apps on.
The Ro Factor - Jeep/Linux Weblog
My suggestion would be nix (no pun intended) the whole linux angle to this. The kids are going to be learning difficult apps, and having to deal with an operating system that functions differently (think stuff like cut/paste) will just be frustrating. You also don't know about the hardware the kids are using at home, so a LiveCD that may or may not detect their hardware correctly could end up being more of a hassle than a bonus.
Second, LiveCDs have very subpar performance compared to a hard-disk install, doing graphical work or trying to model in 3d is going to be a painful experience to say the least; and will leave a poor impression of linux in the campers minds.
You mentioned that the commercial versions of these apps are expensive; they are. In many cases, the company that makes the app offers a much discounted or even free version. For 3d studio max, there is the excellent gmax software that does what most of your campers would likely love to do, create models for computer games. If you aren't content with gmax (which is a truly great program), there is always the Maya Learning Edition which is a learning version of the program the pros are using.
I would contact the software companies that offer learning versions and see if you could distribute those. The companies will be very happy that you want to use their programs, and may throw some free stuff your way (I can't think of anything cooler to win at summer camp than a software t-shirt).
If you are dead set on FOSS, I would make a compilation of those apps(gimp, OO.o, thunderbird/firebird, etc.) for Windows and throw them on a CD. Without Linux, you'll have more space for some killer free apps, and you'll have way more kids that will use Gimp or Open Office or Blender if they can use them without having to install a new, unfamiliar operating system. Remember, gratis will mean more to them than libre . If you want to get them intested in FOSS, download a small game (even something like a solitaire/tetris clone) and show them little snippets and explain what they do ingame.
Lastly, if this is a summer (read fun) camp, there will be some time for gaming. I obviously wouldn't recommend a live CD for this, but if you are looking for free(beer) software that is multiplatform, I'd recommend America's Army and Enemy Territory
I searched around and I came up with a list I think you'd get some good mileage out of, and I promise you'll hook more kids with these than you will a Linux liveCD.
6.19 MB - Firefox 0.8
7.52 MB - Thunderbird 0.5
257 MB - Wolfenstein Enemy Territory
51.0 MB - gmax + help, tutorials, and textures
133 MB - Maya Personal Learning edition
2.20 MB - Blender
63.5 MB - OpenOffice 1.1 installer
--------------
520.41 MB total
If you live in Canada and want to find a camp like this close to you, look at actua a national group that helps runs these type of engineering/science/tech camps.
I would recommend include lots of Open Source games, since we are targeting kids here. If they get hooked on the games, they are likely to pull the CD out again when they get home. Also, I would include OpenOffice with the hope they may try to use it with their homework too.
Also, since many of these kids probably have AOL at home, I would include pengaol so they can connect to the internet. I've never used it myself, as I have a REAL ISP, but you may want to look into it.
Emacs would be a good choice too, just because "doctor mode" seems to impress people. I showed it to a friend's Mom who knows nothing about computers, and she was totally FREAKED OUT that the computer was able to talk to her.
Unknown host pong.
...
Whatever you choose, also try a few of teh Gentoo live cds with the game demos on them - One of the UTs, AA, drop-n-play. And if you've got the blanks, perhaps a copy of the latest OpenCD as well?
Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos
...I feel the need to add my $0.02.
;)
;)
Firstly, as another poster said; a bloody good idea for a summer camp.
Secondly; Gimp, Openoffice are all good suggestions, as is Blender. I would include Cinepaing (used to be filmgimp, *serious* digital video editing software used by many movie houses); Naturally throw in POVray and some other modellers to play with.
Gentoo (www.gentoo.org) has some good tools now available to make custom liveCD's which may help.
Throwing on Americas Army and UT2003/4 demos adds the fun factor for FPS nuts, but maybe include freeciv too (or any one of the many open source RTS out there)... naturally, a rogue clone is critical
Where possible, ensure that you add the win32 binaries since alot of these people will have windows at home and may want to install on their preferred OS.
Make sure you pick a gnome or kde desktop that looks as much like Windows as possible to minimise learning curves.
Id also suggest including bluefish (a nice openoffice based web development tool) and perhaps some nice gui development tools as there may be some more advanced types that want to play with coding, web development or scripting.
Ok, maybe most of the population doesnt think generating PERL haiku is fun, but some of us do
err!
jak.
Little experience with LiveCDs.
I'm a little over 2,000 computers that I've tried with Knoppix, and now Morphix. THREE didn't work. And that was because the CD-Roms wouldn't read my CD-R. But then again, They wouldn't boot the Win98 disk, either.
There is a Universal Life Value Check it
Morphix is a LiveCD based on Knoppix hardware detection, but you can customize it.
You start with a base install, insert the mini-modules, build ISO and burn. This means:
1) You don't have to worry about the underlying Linux, harware detection, etc.
2) You can use other people's modules for the basics (KDE, Gnome, xfce4.0, etc)
3) You can use other peoples modules for programs (OpenOffice, Gimp, Cinerella, etc.)
4) You can build your own module for programs. Like a "Graphix-mod" or something.
5) There is an "Install to HD" icon that is pretty simple.
http://www.morphix.org
There is a Universal Life Value Check it
What about those people who have Macs at home?
If you do decide to distribute LiveCDs, be sure to have a PPC version. Linux runs on PPC amazingly well, so it shouldn't be too difficult to get the system working from CD, but some software you might want be be binary for x86 only.
Chances are that if people have older computers (68k), they couldn't run this software anyways, and if people have other-architecture computers (sparc), they'll know how to get it working themselves.
It almost goes without saying that you should look at the GIMP and perhaps also look at CinePaint. Make sure to compile and inlude more extra plugins. Also make absolutely sure to set the gimp to run using the --no-data and other options to make it as fast as possible.
I would aslo highly recommend Inkscape for Vector Graphics. Inkscape is a recent fork of the Sodipoid codesbase and has a much more user friendly interface.
wich [sic] includes all ( nearly 200 ) audio, graphics and video software included in the Debian Official Tree.
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http://opensourcelab.it/article/articleview/7/1