December 2001 - openSUSE Edu - openSUSE Mailing Lists

kdm in -inetd mode
by Chris Howells 10 Dec '01

10 Dec '01

On my SuSE 7.3 system, xdm isn't setup, but kdm is. Unfortunately, VNC uses xdm as the default. As a result using -inetd mode to start VNC sessions isn't very successful (blank screen). Is there any configuration file to change to make it use kdm rather than xdm? Or is this hard coded into the VNC sources? Or are there any other methods of getting VNC to work with kdm on SuSE 7.3 Many thanks, -- Cheers, Chris Howells -- chris(a)chrishowells.co.uk, howells(a)kde.org Web: http://chrishowells.co.uk, PGP key: http://chrishowells.co.uk/pgp.txt KDE: http://www.koffice.org, http://edu.kde.org, http://usability.kde.org

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billg says "suffer the little children"
by Damian Counsell 08 Dec '01

08 Dec '01

Just before you guys start getting too easy on "new eco-friendly Microsoft". Check out the Paxman-esque interviewing style of the BBC's child reporter: http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/club/your_reports/newsid_1697000/1697132.… "Gee Bill, if I'm really nice to you will you give my school some of your brilliantly clever software too?" (Strange how this gig went to a nice middle-class girl with a carefully brushed bob rather than a spotty male nerd with his own Web server and an attitude .) -- Damian COUNSELL http://www.counsell.com/

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Re: MS do something right..
by Paul Munro 08 Dec '01

08 Dec '01

Mark Evans Wrote: "Not all games have educational value, nor does an educationally valuable game require fancy graphics on a high spec machine." ------ Absolutely! I didn't mean to give the impression that that was what I was trying to state. You are of course correct- and finding the balance between "educational" games and "fun" and also making sure the game appeals to a broad audience is a major problem we had when setting up the "LAN Gaming Club" Hence we decided that where a game may not "inherently" have educational content or value, the technical lessons learned from setting up a LAN prior to gaming and troubleshooting that same LAn when problems arise can of themselves lead to educational value. For us it worked really well. The club was oversubscribed. Games such as Age of Empires, Cossacks, and similar wargames based plots were very popular all round--and yes--even Command and Conquer Red Alert. These games aren't "educational" in the strict sense of the term, but have some historical value; teach economics on a real basic level etc etc. However, there is a danger in trying to take games and philosophise about their general educational value--this gets out of hand. We used games such as Unreal Tournament and Quake for the older student club meetings a lot--and after setting up the LAN and configuring the hardware and software found that that alone gave them a sense of educational accomplishment followed by some raw fun. As I said--it worked for us, but may not work for you. The LAN Gaming Club actually turned into more of a " bring your own PC and we'll have a hardware night" sort of thing in the end. PCs were fixed, lessons learned on configuring hardware, installing drives etc., and gaming was often forgotten about. Ironically, it was at this point the teaching staff decided that the club had run its course :-O Paul

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Re: MS do something right...
by Paul Munro 08 Dec '01

08 Dec '01

Certainly in the area of games Linux could go some steps further- but this depends on games developers and bigger still brands such as EA and Acclaim, UbiSoft etc porting their games (or writing them from the start) to Linux. Personally I don't see this happening real soon--although the recent partnership (?) Mandrake have beggered with EA and Transgaming will help. This is also my opinion--but games on Windows 98 suck! Crashes, driver updates, the need for the latest and greatest hardware, faster chips etc etc all point to a lock in that gamers really feed by their incessant need to get the latest 6GB game! (Now- where's my copy of Commandos 2?) On the other hand, gamers have been the target audience and to some extent the movers for making sure that technology does develop faster and better products...so there are advantages. Linux perhaps needs to be on that slide show, but for me that wouldn't be much of an incentive to buy Linux on the desktop anyway--stability is my main concern. If I want to play games, I move to my games console (PS2..soon to be GC). Nothing *wrong* with games though :-) As for games in schools--when I worked in a local technical college as a technician we held network gaming clubs playing things like Command and Conquer (Red Alert) across the LAN. However, we made the kids set up the small LAN first!! This meant they had to learn the basics of cabling, installing NICs and some TCP/IP fundamentals att he same time. It worked a charm! Games with educational value? Absolutely! Paul :-)

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RE: [suse-linux-uk-schools] MS do something right!!!!!
by Jonathan Bacon 07 Dec '01

07 Dec '01

> -----Original Message----- > Straying back on-topic. If we want to push Linux as a > desktop, we are going > to have to push the games arena to port games over. If you > could get FS2K or > equiv for Linux then I would remove Win98 today. I'm sure > I'm not the only > one. This is a well known fact. The games arena is being worked on heavily though and things such as Mandrake Gaming Edition help. As for you switiching 100% to Linux, why not install VMWare or Plex86 or...even wine. ;P Jono

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MS do something right!!!!!
by Gary Stainburn 07 Dec '01

07 Dec '01

I know this it totally OT, but it's not very often I get the chance to send an email with this subject line. MS have just released Flight Sim 2002 and the first thing I noticed when I look on the shelf in EB is that MS seem to be one of the first suppliers to have listened to the environmental movements and shipped the product in an appropriate sized box instead of one the size of a volume from the Encyclopedia Britanica. Admittedly it doesn't look as impressive on the shelf as all the other products - most of which only contain a single CD and a lot of air. If more suppliers follow suit then everyone will be the winners, as less natural resources will be used. BTW, if the reviews are anything to go by, then they've also produced an excelent product too!!! For those of you out there who are alarmed by this post, don't worry, I've not defected. FS2K is the *only* reason I have Win98 installed at home. Straying back on-topic. If we want to push Linux as a desktop, we are going to have to push the games arena to port games over. If you could get FS2K or equiv for Linux then I would remove Win98 today. I'm sure I'm not the only one. -- Gary Stainburn This email does not contain private or confidential material as it may be snooped on by interested government parties for unknown and undisclosed purposes - Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act, 2000

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Re: Forced to use MS Software!
by Paul Munro 07 Dec '01

07 Dec '01

Well- I don't want to bring this up again for fear of angry retribution! However, today I got notice from my College that I will HAVE to use MS Project Software for my latest course unit. Period. Before getting notification about this, I had looked at the excellent Mr Project for Linux--which I believe does allow Gantt graph design (though limited at this time). Anyhow--so much for choice! I have had to wipe off my Mandrake install (which was fresh) and put on Windows ME (since I won't pay the money for XP). Straight after install, I got a BSOD; I have also had to invest in Antivirus software :-( That's something I haven't done for about two years (thanks to Linux)! Mayeb those screaming for more choice in ICT within schools and also for the end-user should keep up their good work...otherwise this damned OS will drive me MAD. Oh well- at least my laptop still has Linux on it :-) Paul

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RE: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Hi all
by Simon Wood 07 Dec '01

07 Dec '01

> -----Original Message----- > From: Chris Howells [SMTP:chrish@gmx.co.uk] > Sent: Monday, December 03, 2001 1:25 PM > To: suse-linux-uk-schools(a)suse.com > Subject: Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Hi all > > May I ask what kind of work? What I'd really love is for somebody to make > it possible to restrict the things that are possible in KDE -- for example > so that a school could use it on the desktop without the kids fiddling with > all the settings. > > I did notice however something that Waldo put on: > > http://developer.kde.org/development-versions/kde-3.0-release-plan.html > > about preventing users changing the wallpaper, and stuff. [Simon Wood] Can't this be done by sym-linking the appropriate parts of '.kde' to a non writable master copy. I though I'd limit my users (my wife) in this fashion but see told me not to.... You could also limit access to the config application. Ah the power of the UID.... Simon W.

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User administration
by Phil Driscoll 06 Dec '01

06 Dec '01

Can anyone recommend a good tool - or the best tool, preferably :) - for setting up and managing several hundred user names, passwords, home directories, samba passwords - the usual school user admin stuff. Cheers -- Phil Driscoll

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RE: [suse-linux-uk-schools] NHS Meeting, Blair and Gates
by Jonathan Bacon 06 Dec '01

06 Dec '01

> -----Original Message----- > They have been found to have broken the law, including > abuse of monoploy position more than once. But the most > powerful government in the world (which is quite happy > to exterminate the governments of nations they don't > like) appears utterly powerless in this situation. OK...firstly...yes they *have* been a monopolising company, and secondly, the actions of the USA in Arghanistan are off topic. > An organisation which can repeatedly put 2 fingers > up to a US federal court and get told "we'll tell > you to be nice for 5 years and if you don't we'll > tell you for 7 years". IMHO isn't too far off > ruling the world. Ruling the world? I think not... > > - they have such a monopoly through tough business > practices and also > > There are "tough business practices" and there is > breaking the law. (Also when a business uses the > business practices of a gangster shouldn't it be > treated the same way as a business set up bg gangsters?) I dont think they use the practices of a gangster. Unfair competition...yes...mowing down people with guns and torturing your enemies...no. > > (believe it or not) through some decent products. > > Which products do you think are good, why do you think > they are good? Also do you still think they are good > for the environment of a school. I think MS Office is a good suite. It is well designed, works fairly well and gets kids using computers at an early age with a simple interface. IMHO kids need something that is simple to use and works as they expect it, and Office is pretty much this way. Also...most other office suites have pretty much replicated the interface (which is good IMHO). Yes it is expensive and yes it is closed and yes it is proprietary, but I am looking at the interface and the featureset here. > Lots of flaws does not necessarily imply "not viable". > It's more a question of can the "flaws" be addressed, > IME changing how open source software works is far > easier than with closed source. Lots of flaws for a Linux developer/advocate = viable Lots of flaws for a Linux newbie = not viable Like anything in life, there are varying levels of positive and negative. Microsoft does have its good points, and it does its bad points. Also, it is not like they are the only comptetitor out there for us. Cheers, Jono

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