Comment Ubuntu, Elmer, not a hand-drawed cartoon... (Score 0) 105
But "Student package" include in ubuntu 9.10, 10.04 version for General physics and C.F.D. It's a python with clean interface, some add Tkinter interface, some add wxWidget or QT4 to run home-made modules, It give you a simple interface, similar to Wolfram-stylish framing where you can add yourself information, comment... even RPC server... I mean, walk through IT classe's to find out goods students looking "final-staging" to design couple of RPC-function from python instance from elmer where you can create a simple server to let student access to information, like modeling, matrix sets and simplify the work...
Ubuntu distribution is simple, order the cd by mail, buy an extra usb-stick of coupels of Gb, and format it into ext2 while booting the Ubuntu cd-rom is done whithing hours if you try-it first, secondly add elmer or previous one with code-saturn. You can even look to sf.net trying python wiimote example to draw you example on-drawboards, being reflected on you computer... But Wii-remote not included
Python is really easy to do...