May 2001 - openSUSE Edu - openSUSE Mailing Lists

Public Access / Linux Terminal Workshop
by Malcolm Herbert 09 May '01

09 May '01

hi all following on from the 'rather successful' workshops in Sandwell, there will be another two workshops at Bryngwyn School, Llanelli, details below. Due to the facilities being freely available etc, there will be no charge for this event, but again places will be limited. i am hoping that copies of the latest K12LTSP distribution, bootable network cards and new terminal hardware will also be available. if anyone else thinks they may have 6 or more people, (from the LEA, other schools etc) interested in looking at the solution or have a lab to convert/put back on the road, let me know, hopefully its turning into the beginnings of a European tour....!, well this is already the second country :-) regards Malcolm ------------------------------------ Malcolm Herbert Red Hat Europe t:+44 1483 734955 m:+44 7720 079845 ------------------------------------ Linux Terminal Server / Public Access Terminal Workshop 5th/6th June 2001 - Bryngwyn School, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire ---------------------------------------------------------- Introduction -------------- Red Hat, Sandwell LEA and Bryngwyn School have joined together to provide a workshop on developing low cost terminals, which can developed on a range of hardware. It can make the ideal lab or public access terminal and has the benefit of using open source applications. Overview -------------- This workshop presents an effective means of providing a thin client network solution for education and community network access. It can provide both fully functional desktop environments (incl. productivity tools, browsers, graphics and multimedia etc) and bespoke solutions, such as public access terminals providing using browser-based interfaces. The approach uses a thin client-server approach, where the terminals can use both legacy hardware (early Pentiums will work) or new hardware built specifically for the purpose, starting as low as £200. The workshop will look at both strategic and practical issues of designing and implementing terminal server solutions. It will also cover the issues of using open source applications and the benefits that they bring, including being free of licensing costs, having the freedom to develop applications, integrating with existing networks, applications and platforms and versatility to deploy something you want. There will be plenty of opportunity for discussion and networking, with a fairly informal atmosphere. There will be plenty of time to look at the practical issues involved, please feel free to bring some prospective client hardware (ie nearly anything, 'run wot u brung') with you. Agenda -------------- The workshop will be run on both days, 9.30am Registration and Coffee 10.00 Introduction: Linux, open source and how it can be used 10.30 Server: the K12LTSP distribution, hardware specifications 11.30 Coffee 11.45 Clients: new and legacy hardware, configuration and deployment 12.45pm Lunch 1.45 Configuring desktops, window managers for public, labs and office users 2.45 Discussion and future developments 3.30 Tea and Close Space is limited (we've already had considerable interest), priority will be given to early respondents. Links ------------------ Linux Terminal Server Project http://www.ltsp.org K12LTSP Project http://www.riverdale.k12.or.us/linux/k12ltsp.html Venue ------------------ 5th / 6th June Bryngwyn School Llanelli Carmarthenshire Travel Arrangements ------------------- Further details will be available soon Accomodation - Please contact Malcolm Herbert if you require assistance in finding accomodation. You can find a location map on http://www.streetmap.co.uk, postcode B69 4PJ Costs. ------------------- No costs. please confirm your attendence by email to :- Malcolm Herbert mherbert(a)redhat.com <cut> ========================================================= Linux / Public Access Terminals Workshop ---------------------------------------- Name: Organisation: Address: Post Code: Telephone: Mobile: email: Preferred Date: 5th June 6th June *please indicate ==========================================================

2 1

Wales Education 2001: ICT Conference 24th - 25th May, Cardiff International Arena
by Alan Harris 09 May '01

09 May '01

Hi All, I enclose the booking form and seminar details for the Wales Education 2001 ICT Conference as forwarded to myself by our LEA. Sorry for if the document looks odd, I've had to change the format from .doc to .rtf! Further informtion is available from Educational Exhibitions Ltd (www.educational-exhibitions.com). This could be a valuable and very important opportunity to further Open Source in Education. If OSIE want to establish a presence then, providing our Headteacher is happy, I'll be there for both days. There are some 96 Exhibitors on the list but only two computer suppliers that I recognise - RM and Viglen. Opening hours are from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. on the Thursday and 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. on the Friday. If nothing else we have an opportunity to demonstrate to various AM's, Government Offices etc that there is a world another World out there (apart from you know m$who!) and that people are using Open Source Software. Thoose of you who are interested in the Linux Terminal Server day at Bryngwyn School please note that the day has been cancelled because of this conference but alternative dates are being arranged with Malcolm Herbett. Further details will follow, either from myself or from Malcolm. Hope to see some of you there.... Alan ----------------------------------------------------- Alan Harris Network Manager Bryngwyn School Tel : 01554 750661 Fax : 01554 758255 E-mail: alanh(a)bryngwyn.carmarthen.sch ----------------------------------------------------- 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. -----------------------------------------------------

1 0

Help please!
by Mr G M Locock 08 May '01

08 May '01

I'm sure this is a stoopid one... In RedHat 6.2 I change to Gnome using the desktop switcher tool... don't like it, but the switcher won't return me to KDE. ISTR there is a file I must delete, but which one please?? (It is the root user, if that helps) Gary -- G M Locock, Network Manager Bablake Junior School, Coundon Road, Coventry, UK, CV1 4AU Tel: (+44) 24 7663 4052; Fax: (+44) 24 7663 3290 Web: http://www.bablakejs.co.uk Email: gml(a)bablakejs.co.uk

2 1

RE: [suse-linux-uk-schools] MIS, databases - suggestions
by Grainge, Derek 08 May '01

08 May '01

At my school we have been looking at some 'professional' databases (i.e. cost a lot and don't provide half the functionality required.) If all we do is emulate the sorts of things SIMS does, we are going nowhere. Yes we can start producing ER diagrams but I don't think we have really identified requirements thoroughly enough. Here's one suggestion. I have plenty more. One of the major reasons I find current products deficient is the quality of reporting they allow. I would like to see: internal reports, used to collect marks, positions in class, effort and attainment grades, and free-text comments. external reports to parents which contain all of the above. These must be written by class teachers based on set lists, but Housemasters, tutors or the like must be able to pull up a collated report for any member of his house. We must have sufficient security that you can only see (or change) what you're meant to change. Teachers can change reports up to a report deadline; an admin can change a teacher's report; a housemaster can see appropriate reports for delected pupils; teachers can review old reports. Should I go on? We have been researching this so the discussion is VERY appropriate and I'd like to contribute either to a spec or to the ER development. -- ******************************************************************************** All mail sent and received may be examined to prevent transmission of inappropriate attachments and certain obscenities. Wellington College does not accept responsibility for email contents. Problems to postmaster(a)wellington-college.berks.sch.uk. ********************************************************************************

1 0

Browser Abilities - was: GovGateway
by Azrael Angel Of Death 08 May '01

08 May '01

>I gather you are stuffed, because Netscape doesn't do >the masquerading stuff like these cunning RISC OS >programmers have provided. ISTR Opera may, though. You might want to see http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=46029 [RFE] Multiple user_agent prefs (for Mozilla) like in Opera. --Azrael _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.

2 1

Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] MIS, databases
by richard＠tortoise.demon.co.uk 08 May '01

08 May '01

> <mbrown(a)fensystems.co.uk> > Create a query that looks something like: > SELECT pupils.name, fsm_status(pupils.id, today), > fsm_status(pupils.id, today+1), ... Still thinking about that. Without actually posting table definition statements here, its hard to figure out whether this solution would be possible. Do you know of any (cross-platform and free, not asking a lot!) tools for producing ER diagrams so the discussion could get more definite? I have never used any such tool, other than whats built into Access, because I have never had to discuss overall database structure with anyone other than myself. <rjg(a)ateb.co.uk> earlier mentioned the DfEE 'Common Basic Data Set' , any design should be mindful of this, but interest in a successful design with running examples might extend beyond the UK. > <mbrown(a)fensystems.co.uk> > Procedure creation and trigger creation is separate - you create the > procedure first and then you can create a trigger that calls it if you > want. You don't have to use triggers - they just seem to me to be the > most obvious way to hook the procedures in, because you can then make > almost everything invisible to the database client, giving you a 'clean' > interface to the DB. > Can you call the procedures other than via a trigger? Also, what language would you write procedures in? Looking at the postgresql pages, which I referenced earlier, it seems quite a low level task, where you connect it so some other language of your choice, C being given there as an example. My C programming does not extend a great deal further than Hello World. The time it would take to be productive on a given system is important. I have to say that I have never written a line of Interbase procedure code either. Are there visual tools for interacting with a postgresql backend, again x platform? Interbase has several. Richard richard(a)tortoise.demon.co.uk

3 2

scsi adaptec 1540cp
by agsb 06 May '01

06 May '01

right i have a prob... am using an old 166 with isa ne2000 nic isa graphics and isa adaptec1540cp scsi borad has 3 pci as well the scsi is in the first isa which i think is port 130h the linux disk 1 boots up but then goes into maual setup i tried auto loads modules and it found the ne2000 nic but thats all i cant get any further i tried load scsi modules and select adaptec 154x it then ask for parameters ....now what? what are the parameters where in the book does it show u about manual setup etc or an eg of the parmeter or if one of u guys could help greatly apprciated i have an idea for this machine i htink i m gonna try setting it up as a firwall and change the net card to a 10/100 as this would be better yes? thanks

1 0

Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] MIS, databases
by Phil Driscoll 06 May '01

06 May '01

>Once you get into Java or JavaScript you start excluding quite a few >platforms. I appreciate this - that's why I would insist on all functionality being available even on something as primitive (or leading edge :)) as a WAP interface, but you cannot deny that drag and drop will speed up a number of operations, and the richer user interface should not be denied to the overwhelming majority of users who will have access to a modern browser. Cheers -- Phil Driscoll Dial Solutions +44 (0)113 294 5112 http://www.dialsolutions.com http://www.dtonline.org

5 4

Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] MIS, databases
by Phil Driscoll 06 May '01

06 May '01

I'd be interested to see the category of problem that would be difficult without stored procedures (not that I'm an expert on them, but I've never yet been in a situation where I haven't been able to do what I need for lack of them. >If the project was conducted in public, authors of the database >structure would have no control over what clients others may or >may not write. I think that if the project were to be well designed, I would hope that there would be no need whatever for anyone to even consider writing a client that provided any functionality beyond that deliverable in a browser. If someone felt the need to do that, then the design is wrong. Cheers -- Phil Driscoll Dial Solutions +44 (0)113 294 5112 http://www.dialsolutions.com http://www.dtonline.org

3 2

Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] re: GovGateway
by Mr G M Locock 04 May '01

04 May '01

On Tue, 01 May, suse(???)... "mike" on the sig...wrote: > Dear all > I almost works 100% from an Acorn !Fresco browser. It /does/ work 100% in Acorn !Oregano. Just make sure you set IE5 in the "Who am I" box on Choices>Misc. If (like me) you jib at making MSIE's market share look even bigger than it is, it doesn't even need to be a permanent "saved" change. Just click "set" and reload the page. > It just stops on the javascript. A well known weakness of !Fresco. !Fresco is dead. All RISC OS users ought to get Oregano or WebsterXL. > Well I certainly fooled the dear old Gov ! :-) It shows how INCOMPETENT their web design contractors are, if anyone takes all that guff they spout about security (on the "unsupported browser" page) remotely seriously. > When I get my SuSe linux on line then I must try it again. I gather you are stuffed, because Netscape doesn't do the masquerading stuff like these cunning RISC OS programmers have provided. ISTR Opera may, though. Getting round this idiot site is not the point of course. In fact I'm not sure that every contributor has picked up on the point, because of the slightly oblique nature of the original posting. The Govt has no right at all to commission a site with these arbitrary preferential settings in the first place. It contravenes their own "open access" guidelines AFAICR (don't remember where I read it, to check). They have paid loads of your money out to a contractor for an incompetent job which discriminates against European browsers and platforms, and still isn't secure by the feeble standards they have set for themselves! Opera? Symbian? Open Source?(I know, not all European); not to mention British RISC OS and the Bush Internet TVs. Please nag your MP about it; better still, nag a newspaper. Don't let the fact that the site is a crashing bore put you off BTW. ATM you can only do registration for on-line Tax Returns from it (LOL)! It could be the thin end of yet another wedge. Gary -- G M Locock, Network Manager Bablake Junior School, Coundon Road, Coventry, UK, CV1 4AU Tel: (+44) 24 7663 4052; Fax: (+44) 24 7663 3290 Web: http://www.bablakejs.co.uk Email: gml(a)bablakejs.co.uk

1 0