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Skolelinux Project Releases Version 1.0
jakobgrimstveit writes "After about three years of hard work, Skolelinux (with its own cute Tux-with-bag-mascot) 1.0 is released to the public. The distribution was started as a reaction to how much the Norwegian schools and the government relied on systems using closed source. Skolelinux is meant to be an easy way to set up a large and secure network of LTSP thin clients (normally PXE boot) for regular users. The Skolelinux-organization won the Norwegian Free Software Prize in 2002. The distribution is based in Debian GNU/Linux, and is also being used and evaluated [1] [2] several places in Africa due to its low demands for the client PC. Kudos to the developers and good luck!"
Hence one of the really good reasons to make your new distro based off of debian. Effectively, they get to pick what of the 9000+ packages are suitable for their users, provide additional bits and bobs of configs and so on that are specific for their desired userbase, without having to design a whole new setup/packaging format from scratch. Plus, if all else fails, this gives a really easy upgrade path...
Beware the psychokinetic mimes!
There was a story on NewsForge about the Splintering Linux Community.
As far as I'm concerned, the more the merrier! While new users might be confused (I dont even have my new computer yet, and I've already downloaded 4 varieties of GNU/Linux, FreeBSD and now I'm getting Debian...), they'll find that they want in a distro if they just look long enough. What needs to quit is this "haha, that gentoo zealot would reply, but he's too busy compiling his response!" or "FreeBSDZ R DYING!". I know that *BSD has little to do with GNU/Linux, but its still Free Software, and we have common goals.
Also, the schooltux is really cute!
Hey... parent is super relevant. This is the most important aspect of linux in schools. Most school systems have too much inertia to convert a whole network to a new operating system, even if they will save large amounts of time and money in the future. This is why Skolelinux won't take off for years. I would like to hear a good solution to this issue. If you have one, visit my sig.
Simon's Rock College
Mac OS X integrates very well in a Skolelinux network, as Skolelinux uses NFS and LDAP.
0 4.html
Guidelines on how to make an OS X machine part of a Skolelinux network are available in Norwegian - translations to English will definitely follow shortly.
See http://developer.skolelinux.no/~klaus/notater/a28
The book Klaus refers to is being translated these days.
You sound like someone who has not actually called on his local schools to see if they could benefit from a thin client lab. You don't seem to realize how many "free" computers schools refuse from their community because they are not "fast" enough for Windows. We have set up thin-client computer labs for Elementary, Middle, and High Schools here in Hawaii and have been supporting them for years. We just did one for the Boys and Girls Club. We use the K12LTSP's distribution of Linux, and, for less than $3000, we can set up a 30-station lab using donated clients and a custom-built dual opteron server.
Setting up a lab is not converting "a whole network to a new operating system." It is a lab. One of our installations is simply a typing lab. Another is used for Digital Photography. I really think you should be sure that you have more experience before you authoritatively state "this is why Skolelinux won't take off for years." We need you helping your local schools by trying before making premature conclusions. There is your solution: doing it rather than talking about why it won't work. If you want clearly defined steps, contact me.
Incidentally, we are definitely looking into migrating our installs away from the K12LTSP to Skolelinux. Fedora core vs. Debian-stable. The perpetuity of Debian and the reliability of the community make for a very bright future for Skolelinux. Kudos to the team.
Success without humility is an indulgence in arrogance
The fact that a message "Skole means school in Norwegian" gets moderated as 5 Informative, tells us something about the language sensitivity of the average /. audience. I don't speak a word of any of the Scandinavian languages, but making the transition from "skole" to "school", especially when you realize that the latter is pronounced as "skool", is not what I would call a very tough one. And that's then the understatement of the year.
Oh well.....
Browsers shouldn't have a back button!! It's all about going forward...