December 2001 - openSUSE Edu - openSUSE Mailing Lists

Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Meeting yesterday and welcome to new members of the list
by Philip Hands 07 Jul '03

07 Jul '03

Roger Whittaker <roger(a)suse-linux.co.uk> writes: > I've just subscribed various people to the list - please post a > message to say hello and introduce yourselves. Hi, If you were at the meeting, I was wearing a Debian t-shirt (with a red swirl logo on it) --- there's a photo at the top of this article, where I'm wearing similar stuff (except for the penguin ;-) http://www.linuxuser.co.uk/articles/issue6/lu6-Editorial-A_patently_bad_ide… I'm a Debian GNU/Linux developer, and run the UK Debian mirror, and am responsible for producing the Debian official CD images: http://www.uk.debian.org/ http://cdimage.debian.org/ I have only a peripheral interest in educational matters, in that I've been frustrated in the past in my efforts to provide free computers (which were otherwise destined for a skip), but I can certainly contribute on a technical side, and having been involved in Debian (which is completely voluntary, like OSIE is expected to be) since 1996 I may be able to make some suggestions about how to ``organise'' such a thing. For those of you who've not come across Debian before, we're a world-wide voluntary organisation (read, chaotic jumble of mailing lists) that puts together a Linux distribution (and soon a HURD distribution) and gives it away. Debian doesn't pay people to do this, and doesn't sell what it produces, and in most legal senses doesn't really exist (i.e. the machines in the mirror network mostly belong to people like me, rather than to Debian, and the bandwidth is donated rather than paid for). This probably gives a pretty good feel for what Debian is all about: http://www.uk.debian.org/social_contract which you will notice leads into the The Debian Free Software Guidelines (DFSG), which is where the Open Source Definition came from. My internet machine, that hosts the Debian UK mirror, may be of use to OSIE, since it has about 30GB of spare disk, and a 20Mbit/s connection at a well connected ISP. This machine could act as either a primary host or mirror site for the web site, and could do DNS secondarying etc. as well. Something I'd be interested in working on (although perhaps a SuSE list is not the right place to spend too much time discussing this ;-) would be producing Debian CD images, tuned to the needs of educational users. Debian has accumulated some funds in the UK, and have been looking for a worthwhile cause to spend them on (we never really need to pay for anything that actually makes Debian work, so don't have much use for money), so we could probably afford to have a few thousand CDs pressed, and send them out to schools that are interested. Cheers, Phil. -- Say no to software patents! http://petition.eurolinux.org/ Philip Hands. +44 (0)20 7744 6244 philip.hands(a)uk.alcove.com Alcove UK --- Liberating Software --- http://www.alcove.com/ http://www.hands.com/ phil(a)hands.com http://www.uk.debian.org/

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RE NHS Meeting - Bill and Tony
by Alan Harris 18 Sep '02

18 Sep '02

Hi all thought this might be of interest to some of you :- <my email> > Subject: Microsoft and the British Government - Possible Anti-Competitive Behaviour > Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2001 15:04:20 +0100 > From: alanh(a)bryngwyn.carmarthen.sch.uk > To: Erkki.Liikanen(a)cec.eu.int > > Hi, > > I write regarding the current negotiations between the British > Government and Microsoft in which, to date, Microsoft have been awarded > a contract to supply the National Health Service with some 60 Million > (£)'s worth of software licenses. > > I would be grateful if you could inform me of the current state of the > anti-competition investigation being undertaken by the EU against > Microsoft, as it appears that more such deals (like that for the NHS) > are in the pipeline. As the commisioner with responsibility for the > Information Society I am sure that you are well aware of the potential > for damage being created by such actions. > > Many Thanks > > Alan </my email> <commisioners response> > Subject: RE: Microsoft and the British Government - Possible Anti-Competit ive Behaviour > Date: Sun, 9 Dec 2001 14:08:31 +0100 > From: Erkki.Liikanen(a)cec.eu.int > To: alanh(a)bryngwyn.carmarthen.sch.uk > CC: Mario.Monti(a)cec.eu.int, Marc.Van-Hoof(a)cec.eu.int, Olli.Rehn(a)cec.eu.int, Per.Haugaard(a)cec.eu.int > > Dear. Mr. Harris, > > I pass your letter to my colleague Mario Monti and his cabinet. He is > responsible for this issue. > But still, during investigation I don't believe much more can be said what > has been in public. > > with best regards > > Erkki Liikanen > > ******************************** > Mr. Erkki Liikanen > Member of the Commission > tel. +32-2-295.79.57 > fax +32-2-295.85.61 > erkki.liikanen(a)cec.eu.int > secretary; kirsi.larjava(a)cec.eu.int > tel. +32-2-295.14.40 > http://europa.eu.int/comm/commissioners/liikanen/index_en.htm > </commissiones response> There may be hope for all of us then? Alan ----------------------------------------------------- Alan Harris Network Manager Bryngwyn School Tel : 01554 750661 Fax : 01554 758255 E-mail: alanh(a)bryngwyn.carmarthen.sch.uk ----------------------------------------------------- Notes: 1. The contents of this email may be snooped on by interested government parties for unknown purposes! Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act, 2000. 2. The opinions expressed in this email are personal and may not be shared by Bryngwyn School. -----------------------------------------------------

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Alternative Multimedia Server
by Mike Rees 11 Jan '02

11 Jan '02

Hi Our Head of IT (who has final say) wants to spend a LARGE sum of money (not including ANY software) buying a 'R'eady 'M'ade Multimedia server which would take some of the load off our other 'R'eady 'M'ade server. I need a Linux powered alternative which would prove too attractive financially (She already knows some of the other advantages) to ignore. This is how things work at present. All (approx 100) stations have a copy of virtual cd on them. Virtual CDs drives are added to a station and images are then made of CD titles which can be inserted ejected through a command/graphical frontend. These images (in a proprietary format, not iso) are kept on the server, their size reflects the amount of data on the cd they came from. The stations access the images through a single share. So, What kind of hardware would I need? I have some general idea, eg scsi, as much mem as poss etc Would samba be able to handle sharing these large image files to multiple users? Would the server be able to handle been used as something else? eg a CUPS print server, handling obese M$ office files. Are there any disadvantages? eg how easy is it to get the stations to remap the image share? Has anybody already tried this? As always, thanks in advance for any advice I have until the 15th January to dissuade and persuade. Mike Rees Ysgol Glanymor School

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Collaboration Software
by Matthew Summers 03 Jan '02

03 Jan '02

Can someone suggest some good collaboration software that will run under Linux, something similar to Lotus Notes or MS Exchange. What are the chances that there might be a WIN32 front end that I can use for Windows clients. I would consider something web based. Cheers in advance, Matthew Summers - Curriculum Developer ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LJ Technical Systems - Technology Education Solutions tel: 01603 748001 (+44 1603 748001) fax: 01603 746340 (+44 1603 746340) e-mail: msummers(a)ljgroup.com web: http://www.ljgroup.com

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Science software
by Paul Sutton 02 Jan '02

02 Jan '02

Hi What science software is popular with schools, either for use with students or technical staff. I have rasmol for both windows and Linux, I also have a titration program (in french) and a program to calcuate molecular weight from a given formula. If some could also please point me in the direction of sites for science technicians I would also be grateful, something on laboratory procedures, relating to schools. thanks Paul Sutton

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Linux Based Cybercafe Project in South Wales
by aeh1962 02 Jan '02

02 Jan '02

Hi All, Got a friend with a big idea here, wants to set up a cybercafe in Cross hands (Nr Llanelli). I've posted the information he sent me for your perusal - I've sugessted buying a big server and running Linux Terminal Services on it (www.lsp.org). Anybody with any other suggestions ? > Dear Alan, > > Many thanks for all your encouragment this evening. The equipment we have received from PHLS is as follows: > > Ex Notes server (I think its a Pentium 166) > > Viglen file server: This is a big empty box but may prove useful if we want to build a data store. > > Its a DX50 486 based nachine with a SCSI drive I think it's floppy has had it, but then, I think I'll have stacks of spares! > > Viglen PC. This was a 386 SX25 but has a DAT drive for backup and I think it may have the SCSI for the scanner > > Viglen PC's x 2: These are bog standard 486 SX25's (but I've got extra memory for them) > > AST Bravo - not sure, probably a 486DX > > AJP (dreadful machine, currently without a video card, but that's in the Ex Notes server above as we had to free up a PCI slot > to take an extra network card. I've got the original PCI card somewhere) > > Apricot XEN-1 must be a 286 > > 7 monitors (various) > > 2 x HP Laserjet 3's (one maked as dead) > Epson LQ-100 > NEC pinwriter > > That's the lot from the PHLS. However, I have also got a PC from Sue Harrison which according to the paperwork is a Cyrix > MII 333 based machine. > > I also have 3 Pentiums that were described thus: > "Pick up a quality 2nd PC with these bargain Pentium PC base units that we are prepared to sell for only £30 each. These > are Elonex PC5100 systems in good working order. They currently have an Intel Pentium 100MHz Processor. Importantly > they are TRT PCI.2C Motherboards that are upgradeable to 200MHz. Depending on your luck They have 16 between to > 32MB RAM, 1091MB Hard Drive is fully formatted and brought to C: prompt(they will of course compress to over > double). A Drive & Graphics card. These are good quality, upgradeable systems and a good home system as well as a > super business or college work PC all for trade prices." > > Finally, we have another PC and monitor etc offered by one of the Cross Hands shops. > > Project budget is around £3,500 (including VAT). I need to get on and order the ISDN line (although ADSL may be an option > in Cross Hands, but we could only afford the base price which I believe has to be USB based, so may not be an option - > urgent advice here please as I would need to get on and order the ISDN line soon). > > I also have to get 3 quotes and place an order for the server and other goods by 7th January. > > So, can we have your server thoughts ASAP. Not all the budget can go on the server, we need to retain about £800 for the > desks (view thru style, as discussed) I was aiming to get diouble units and end up with 8 workstations in the first instance. > > And really finally, you mentioned a web site for the project. We currently have crosshands.org.uk but specifically for the > project, I though of cyberXhands.com. It's available (as is every other cyberXhands). If that makes sense to you to have a > separate web site, I'll get on and register it and start building a small site soonest. > > Many thanks once again. I have left a message with Gareth but I don't think he would have any hesitation in us offering the > use of the church building for the local Linux user group to use. This would certainly fit with our aims to get further involved > with the community, which is what the project is all about in the first place. > > Mike > Any Comments would be gratefully appreciated. I will post more when I've had a think about it :-) Have a really good 'free' christmas! Alan

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Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Science software
by Damian Counsell 30 Dec '01

30 Dec '01

Paul Sutton wrote: >What science software is popular with schools, either for use with students >or technical staff. > >I have rasmol for both windows and Linux, RasMol, http://www.umass.edu/microbio/rasmol/index2.htm , and the derived browser plug-in Chime are excellent pieces of software; they put a very friendly face on horribly difficult problems. (I've tried myself to write code to parse the same datafiles RasMol handles and it is extraordinarily difficult.) There are plenty of tutorials for RasMol/Chime---from elementary up to postgraduate level ---available on the Web: http://molvis.sdsc.edu/visres/ Unfortunately Protein Explorer, the new generation of RasMol-derived software, is Windows-only. > I also have a titration program >(in french) and a program to calcuate molecular weight from a given formula. > >If some could also please point me in the direction of sites for science >technicians I would also be grateful, something on laboratory procedures, >relating to schools. At the MRC HGMP-RC, http://www.hgmp.mrc.ac.uk/ , we keep pages of useful links for lab workers in our Genome Web resource: http://www.hgmp.mrc.ac.uk/GenomeWeb/other-lists.html . The most useful of these for school-level use is probably this one: http://biobenchelper.hypermart.net/ . The BioBenchHelper main page links among other places to a small molecule section: http://biobenchelper.hypermart.net/small_m/small_molecules.htm . This includes links to pages on acids and bases, measurement and standards, chemical glossaries, calculation and periodic table pages. Hope this is useful. -- Damian COUNSELL http://www.counsell.com/

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Typical uses of IT in schools
by Jonathan Bacon 20 Dec '01

20 Dec '01

Hi all, What does everyone on this list (and I know there are IT managers for schools in here) typically identify a schools requirements for IT? Do schools typically need to use productivity software such as word processors and spreadsheets or is there more customized software in use (educational titles and such like). AllI can remember of school was a large proportion of work done in productivity applications (MS Office), and not really any custom applications. Cheers, Jono

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"Has Open Source Saved Any Schools?"
by Damian Counsell 20 Dec '01

20 Dec '01

In case you aren't a slashdotter: http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=01/12/16/2210229&mode=thread -- Damian COUNSELL http://www.counsell.com/

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Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Typical uses of IT in schools
by Edgehill e-mail service 20 Dec '01

20 Dec '01

---------- > From: Mark Evans <mpe(a)st-peters-high.devon.sch.uk> > To: Edgehill e-mail service <edgehillit(a)edgecoll.clara.net> > Cc: suse-linux-uk-schools(a)suse.com > Subject: Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Typical uses of IT in schools > Date: 19 December 2001 11:52 > > > > > <puts on asbestos lohng-johns> Unfortunately, many teachers > > of my acquaintance, have insufficient understanding &/or > > experience of computers to be confident with the software. > > Since it all seems complicated to them, then they believe > > that the system will be worse for the younger pupils. > > You also quite commonly hear the phrase "These people have > difficulty with Windows how can they possibly cope with > Linux". The assumption here is that Windows is somehow > the easiest system to use. > > > Pupils who have no real fear of breaking the machine, and > > will therefore attempt most things withot concern. > > In which case it's best to give them something either > they can't break or anything they do "break" will > affect only them. Admittedly, but the point is that it is actually quite difficult for someone to do any *real* damage - the children are blisfully unaware of the possibility, and carry on blithely. Adults, terrified of the complex machine before them (present company excepted ;) know what _might_ happen, even if it is unlikely. Hence - children experiment (hopefully) with the software, and learn. Adults tend not to. - only a personal observation, I might add. Paul

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