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Education Software Linux

Skolelinux Project Releases Version 1.0 131

Posted by timothy from the free-as-in-right-on dept.
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!"
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Skolelinux Project Releases Version 1.0 More

Skolelinux Project Releases Version 1.0

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  • Great! (Score:2, Insightful)

    by BaronGanut ( 780013 )
    This is truly great! I come from Norway and can hardly wait, though I will probably be done with schools like that before it gets common enough..

    But what is it with kde2? :) Firstly i don't like KDE, but then at least they could have used kde3.

    Might have been to make resource requirements lower for the thin clients.. but..

    • Re:Great! (Score:5, Informative)

      by Alex Brasetvik ( 554885 ) <alex@bra s e tvik.com> on Sunday June 20, 2004 @04:54PM (#9479537)
      The reason why we use KDE2, is because we don't have resources to maintain our own KDE-packages. Thus, we have to use those in Debian Stable.

      Thin clients run KDE3 just as well as KDE2 - it depends on the thin client server.
      • Are you sure it's wise to use something as out of date as Debian Stable? If you don't want the instability of something like Unstable, why not base it off Fedora or something with equally regular and predictable freezes?

        • Re:Great! (Score:4, Insightful)

          by Orgazmus ( 761208 ) on Sunday June 20, 2004 @05:46PM (#9479778)
          From my experience, debian unstable is far more stable than fedora ;)

          AlexB:
          What would it take to maintain your own packages?

          • Re:Great! (Score:4, Informative)

            by Alex Brasetvik ( 554885 ) <alex@bra s e tvik.com> on Sunday June 20, 2004 @05:50PM (#9479798)
            > AlexB: What would it take to maintain your own packages?

            Time we can use on enhancing Skolelinux in other ways - Skolelinux is not at all a perfect product.

            KDE is such an important component in the distribution, that it has to be maintained well and just work.

            There's work in progress on using sarge and sid as the base distribution for Skolelinux, but that's at earliest 1.2 :-)
          • Thats a joke right? :) I use Debian Stable, unstable, and fedora. Debian stable is a rock, Fedora is perfect for the desktop, I ran debian unstable for many months but then the package maintaners kept adding fluky packages that broke my system and then they fixed them the next day with new packages, but by then it was too late for me heh. Fedora is nice, I have not a complaint with it, but then again we all have different needs. My one major "thing" with debain though is that it is so bent on being complete

        • Re:Great! (Score:3, Insightful)

          by noselasd ( 594905 )
          What's the problem ? People still run macos 9 and windows 98. It works for them. Why use the latest (and often unstable all the time) ? Making sure
          people can their job is far more important than running the latest foo 4.9.177
  • I work as the only tech guy on a whole large high school campus. I would just on this thing and do a test runw ith 3 computers, but theres a problem. The District Office is run by a bunch of Mac Zealots who will hear nothing of linux. Even though its free. It runs on old hardware we can get for dirt. And we don't have to buy anti-virus or patch it. We insist on getting iMacs! We are in a budget crunch and they can't get their head out of their asses and see the real picture. Assholes.
    • 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.
      • 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 [hosef.org] 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 [k12ltsp.org] distribution of Linux, and, for less than
        • Yes, I called them, but about technical support provided by students, not thin clients. I was told that my school system has a support contract that will be void if any non-certified, non-staff personel touch certain systems. As long as that contract is there, I won't be permitted to change anything about a school computer (Not that I won't do it anyway). As it is, staff will be skeptical of letting a student with in a mile of confidential, "secure" data. So I can't perform an installation of linux. An
        • By the way, hosef.org looks very nice. Is it your project? Do you work on it full time? I wish North Carolina had something like that. The closest think I have found is a State Education mailing list about Apple computers. And it has no activity. Funny, as NC is home to Red Hat, Inc. I don't live near Red Hat, which is in the very afluent Research Triangle Park, where I'm sure many schools have Open Source installations. The new state wide information sharing system supports linux, but that won't be
          • I have recently begun to work on it full time. I started the project and took care of the paperwork to incorporate and become tax-free. The look of the site is the work of one of our very kind volunteers. All the worthy success in what we do is the work of volunteers. There is a list [redhat.com], where you can track the progress of many groups and may find that there are some NC schools using thin-client labs. I don't know if any are rural vs. in the Triangle, but I do know that the rural schools are the one's th
      • I wouldn't try to claim that it is impossible for SkoleLinux to take off. Look at it this way. It does not require you to remove the operating system currently on the computers on your network. Set up a few thin client servers, have all the machines that are currently running Windows boot over the network, and you have the SkoleLinux setup all up and ready for use. And you still have Windows installed just in case you don't like it for some reason. In this case, switching to a new operating system is as eas
        • It is not PRACTICALLY impossible:- In fact, it would be easy. It's more a matter of politics. Getting everyone to agree and let people work is extremely hard, especially when the students are the only people prepared to do the installation.

    • Re:Schools in US are tight (Score:5, Interesting)

      by Alex Brasetvik ( 554885 ) <alex@bra s e tvik.com> on Sunday June 20, 2004 @05:56PM (#9479833)
      Mac OS X integrates very well in a Skolelinux network, as Skolelinux uses NFS and LDAP.

      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/a280 4.html

      The book Klaus refers to is being translated these days.
    • Looking at the perspective from the other side...

      Perhaps the mac folks value the usability of the macintosh and the ability to get work done easily more than they value linux costing nothing, and they see a Linux Zealot asshole who would try to force on their children a non user-friendly piece of technology and who will instantly dismiss any legitimate concern or grievance about the software being to hard to use with phrases like "quit spreading M$ FUD about linux being hard to use", "the problem is that p

  • Fun Fact (Score:4, Informative)

    by Jeppe Utzon ( 721797 ) on Sunday June 20, 2004 @04:46PM (#9479488) Homepage
    Skole means school in norwegian.

    • That explains why their logo is a penguin with a hat on backwards and a backpack. All Norwegian children are now expected to conform to that look, or else peer pressure will get the best of them and they will commit suicide.

      • Penguin suits have always been the "in" look amongst school kids, its a good way to naturally select those who fit in with what we want from society in the future, PENGUINS!!!!!!!
      • It's the other way around.

        Tux had to adapt to Norwegian school kids ;-)

        In other news: Toy stores are all sold out of those fluffy penguins.

        Seriously, the school kids love tux. :)
    • Skole means 'chewing tobacco' to Americans who can't spell.

      --

      • Skole that you are referring to is also Norwegian (or Danish but means the same in both languages). It means "Cheers!" or more literally "Skull" from back when vikings would toast successful pillaging by drinking beer out of the vanquished's skulls.

        You go to Norway or Denmark now and you stare in disbelief that these people who are so nice and polite were doing that sort of thing a few hundred years ago.

        Anyway, linux..earlier => better

        --Joey
        • "Skole" is not "cheers" in norwegian..
          "Skål" is the right way to spell it, but I guess you will pronounce it skole anyways ;)

        • Re:Fun Fact (Score:2, Informative)

          by Svenheim ( 723925 )
          That's "skål", not, "skole". You have no idea how "skole" is pronounced, do you? :) It's a bit hard to explain how to pronounce "skole" for someone with an English language background, but the e isnt silenced, and the "o" isnt like an english "o", but like a German "u".
          • Jeg vet hvordan aa uttale skole: some "SKO-Leh" ikke sant?

            Selfoelgig det er hvordan jeg uttale det med englesk.

            Vi snakkes,

            --Joey

        • Re:Fun Fact (Score:2, Informative)

          by _Laban_ ( 166315 )
          I don't believe this is true. In Sweden the word is "skål" (pronounced somewhat like "skull" or "skoal") and translates to the english word "bowl". So I would think that it's a reference to the cup you're drinking from, not someones skull. I believe the same applies to Danish and Norwegian.

          And yes, I'm Swedish.

    • Re:Fun Fact (Score:3, Interesting)

      by wwwillem ( 253720 )
      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.....
    • SCOLinux.
    • My first thought was 'skol' - a toast similar to 'cheers' or 'salud'.

      Actually, I think it's 'skål', but my grandparents (of Norwegian descent here in the US) had a sign on the wall with a troll on skis holding a beer mug and it said 'skol'. Maybe it's an Americanized or Texanized spelling.

  • Bad name (Score:3, Funny)

    by neurojab ( 15737 ) on Sunday June 20, 2004 @04:47PM (#9479493)
    >Skolelinux

    sounds too much like

    SKOAL linux (linux for rednecks)

    or

    SCO Linux (Linux for litigious bastards and masochists)

    • I agree. They should call it AnnieLinux.

      Sweet Dreams are made from Linux, or so it would seem.
    • You forgot the link:

      SCO Linux (Linux for litigious bastards [caldera.com] and masochists)
    • >Skolelinux
      sounds too much like
      SKOAL linux (linux for rednecks)

      Well, if you just mispronounce anything enough it'll sound like something completly different :)

      The 'o' sound is quite different from yours, and americans seem 100% unable to pronounce it (period). Also, the whole word is pronounced with a much more (eerm) straight intonation.

  • It's nice to see a Plone [pone.org] site so far holding its own against the slashdot effect. On a normal plone site there is a lot of processing being done to output a page.

    /jeorgen

  • Skolelinux --> SCOlinux

    It's just SCO trying to prove they own Linux!

  • Why so many distros? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by the_y_man84 ( 786048 ) on Sunday June 20, 2004 @05:05PM (#9479604)
    I personally like linux alot. But why make so many distros? Doesnt that just fragment the linux community itself more? Doesnt it also it harder to keep things up to date?
    • I personally like linux alot. But why make so many distros?

      Linus' idea behind Linux was that OSs should be like cars: The more the marrier. Would you really enjoy living in a world where Red Hat or Novell is the only Linux distributor? Choice is key.
      • Linus' idea? What are you talking about?

        Free software - which allows everyone to start their own distro - was Richard Stallman's idea, Linus just contributed to the already vast bank of free software.

        (and Linux was proprietary to begin with, it was liberated in 1992 when Linus changed the license to the GNU GPL.)

        Here's the history of GNU [gnu.org]
        • (and Linux was proprietary to begin with, it was liberated in 1992 when Linus changed the license to the GNU GPL.)

          Linux wasn't really proprietary, it was open with a stricter license than the GPL. It could not be sold at all. It was later changed to the GPL so (among other things) people could charge distribution costs.

        • Heh, Richard Stallman didn't invent free software either, he just gave it a name.

          In fact, software had always been free. Back in the 60's, all software was free. There was no such thing as nonfree software. No programmer thought much about passing software around, it was all shared, with no license (sort of an implicit public domain).

          Then Bill Gates came along and invented nonfree software (well, maybe not invented, but he was one of the larger proponents in the early days).
          • Stallman didn't invent free software, but he started the movement for free software, and he invented the concept of copyleft which keeps software free (so all those distros can't spoil the free software they distribute).

    • Re:Why so many distros? (Score:4, Informative)

      by Thyrhaug ( 536821 ) on Sunday June 20, 2004 @05:13PM (#9479638) Homepage
      Skolelinux is not a distro as most people think of distros. Skolelinux is a full featured thin client solution originally created for schools. Sure, you could use any distro for this - but Skolelinux makes it easier. For schools to take on Linux they need to be convinced. Low price, easy maintaining and high stability are three important arguments. Skolelinux makes this possible.

    • Re:Why so many distros? (Score:2, Interesting)

      by Tezkah ( 771144 )
      There was a story on NewsForge about the Splintering Linux Community [newsforge.com].

      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 ha
    • Diversity fosters adaptation & "evolution." Sure, many distros die off because they aren't promoted or don't fill a niche, or lack distinguishing "value added" features.

      But a terrific example is Knoppix. It fits a particular niche. And it in turn is derived from Debian Linux. Sounds like a phylogenetic tree to me.

      Skolelinux is really a client program adapted from Linux to meet a specific need. Given it's language localization, too, it has really defined its niche. More power to 'em!

  • In the older news (Score:4, Informative)

    by orzetto ( 545509 ) on Sunday June 20, 2004 @05:05PM (#9479610)
    The municipality of Bergen [kommune.no] has recently decided to move to Skolelinux [aftenposten.no] (Sorry, Norwegian) and throwing out Windows and other UNIXes [aftenposten.no] (Sorry, Norwegian again).
    • ...Sorry next time I'll double-check before posting - they are moving to SuSE [www.digi.no].
    • No. Bergen has chosen to use Novell SuSE, not Skolelinux, on the _server side_.

      Bergen is only using Linux on their _servers_ - hopefully Linux clients will follow shortly.

    • My school, Nesbru (sorry Norwegian) [nesbru.vgs.no], outside of Oslo (Norway's Capitol) has long been weighed down by heavy Microsoft licenses, but fortunately the county (Akerhus) has switched to OpenOffice for all the high schools. They have even begun distributing free OpenOffice and Anti-virus CD's to all students!

      And luckily for me I have convinced the people in charge of the school computers to let me install none other than SkoleLinux!

      Can't wait to start using Linux machines at school as of August + I get root

  • Skol, skol, skol, skol! (Score:3, Funny)

    by BlightThePower ( 663950 ) on Sunday June 20, 2004 @05:22PM (#9479677)
    I can't remember the rest of the words...

    Well, its better than the Free Software Song anyway.

    [Time to find out how US-centric moderation is...]

  • K12Linux.org (Score:3, Insightful)

    by dvanatta ( 785378 ) on Sunday June 20, 2004 @05:29PM (#9479703)
    K12Linux.org [k12ltsp.org] is the Fedora distribution with LTSP already configured. I know many schools in the United States are using it successfully.
  • ...in the world where so many people would never make an effort to learn new work environment.
  • Skolelinux got freeciv in their top10 recommended software [skolelinux.org]. Sorry for the norwegian link but i couldnt find the top10 list in the english version.
  • For those curious about what packages that are included, try the DistroWatch page on SkoleLinux [distrowatch.com].

    Atleast that site hasn't been Slashdotted, and is sure to load quickly. :)

  • Skoal? (Score:1, Redundant)

    by tommck ( 69750 )
    Am I the only guy that pictured Tux with a tooth missing and a big fat wad of tobbaco in his lip?

  • Isn't that distrobution with the penguin with a wad in it's beak and brown stains on it's lower beak?;-)

    You might be a Linux RedNeck if,

    * You're 'fixin' to install the latest version
    of the kernel.
    * You wear a Stetson when you're programming.
    * You have a SKOAL Can in your CD-ROM Drive.
    * Your root password is "Bubba".
    * Your outgoing FAXes, using efax of course,
    have tobacco stains on them.
    * You have a spit cup hanging from your
    computer.
  • ...basicly, the mainstream press' angle was that very few had adopted it. Many of those that tested it have rejected it because they decided to go with an all-Windows network.

    They have 93 schools out of ~3200, less than 3% that have tested it. Far far less that have gone into full-scale deployment. Not to get anyone down or anything, but it's hardly a raging success after three years.

    Linux still moves like a glacier. You don't want to get in its way, regaining ground is pretty hopeless, but it's not like
    • Skolelinux [skolelinux.org] is used by many more than the 93 that has told us that officially. They don't announce it because of the negative pressure from their ICT-department in the municipality. At least 5 municipalities has done fully migration to Skolelinux in all their schools. Thats a success because they starting using this Debian-based solution before it has reached 1.0 ...

      We know that things takes time in spite of positively reports [skolelinux.no] as the one from Statskonsult [statskonsult.no] that concludes:

      Skolelinux has taken the action p

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