RE: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Using older machines for the internet
Have friends in high places... Well, connections with a university
involved in the JANet backbone. It's 1000 base LX into the heart of NW JANet and our firewall is the limiting factor (only got 100Mb card on the LAN side...). Also we were told in no uncertain terms that if we ever used
bandwidth available we'd be cut off. Which seems fair! We've never
We offered and they didn't get it... IBM were up for putting in a z390 running 10,000 virtual Linux servers! Our connection was intended to provide Internet connectivity for all schools in Manchester, and soon this may come true (2 years later...). -----Original Message----- From: ian To: suse-linux-uk-schools@suse.com Sent: 5/14/03 12:10 PM Subject: RE: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Using older machines for the internet On Wed, 2003-05-14 at 11:54, Chris Puttick wrote: that's the peaked
past 4Mb according to Fluke.
Just think, you could have a massive server farm in the middle of Manchester and run thin client to all the schools in the LEA providing all their Office and other productivity tools with no licensing costs and a fully managed service. Now that would save large amounts of money and provide some real leadership to the rest of the education service ;-) -- ian <ian.lynch2@ntlworld.com> -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: suse-linux-uk-schools-unsubscribe@suse.com For additional commands, e-mail: suse-linux-uk-schools-help@suse.com
Not aware of any school friendly robotics or data logging stuff for Linux.
I've been playing around with a design for a low cost one channel datalogging system, which would be ideal for a simple C project. Outline concept is this... Sound card is used to generate an AC signal which is conditioned to 0.7 volts (using a diode and resistor) which is then split across a potential divider - one side of which is fixed resistor other side is thermistor / LDR. Stereo mike input is then used to compare the voltage across the whole PD with the voltage across the thermistor / LDR. Data logging process is simple - write to a file of fixed maximum size with initial sampling rate. If the file fills the sample rate recursively halves. This program could be as simple or as complex as you want. Total component cost less than £2 for a basic hard wired system. Maybe take it up to £5 with boxes and variable resistors for a device that will use different sensors. Anyone fancy doing it with me? I can draw the circuit idea out in a few mins. Some expert can write the code and I'm not good with a solering iron, but could do it... ===== rgds, Richard Rothwell -------------------------------------------------------------------- GNU and Wine are rirds. Rird is recursively defined. __________________________________________________ Yahoo! Plus For a better Internet experience http://www.yahoo.co.uk/btoffer
while at school i was quite good at soldering so i want i would be happy to put a prottype circiut together for you? if you could send me a circuit/pcb design? I cant help you with the software writng tho, sorry.
Not aware of any school friendly robotics or data logging stuff for Linux.
I've been playing around with a design for a low cost one channel datalogging system, which would be ideal for a simple C project.
Outline concept is this...
Sound card is used to generate an AC signal which is conditioned to 0.7 volts (using a diode and resistor) which is then split across a potential divider - one side of which is fixed resistor other side is thermistor / LDR.
Stereo mike input is then used to compare the voltage across the whole PD with the voltage across the thermistor / LDR.
Data logging process is simple - write to a file of fixed maximum size with initial sampling rate. If the file fills the sample rate recursively halves. This program could be as simple or as complex as you want.
Total component cost less than £2 for a basic hard wired system. Maybe take it up to £5 with boxes and variable resistors for a device that will use different sensors.
Anyone fancy doing it with me? I can draw the circuit idea out in a few mins. Some expert can write the code and I'm not good with a solering iron, but could do it...
===== rgds, Richard Rothwell -------------------------------------------------------------------- GNU and Wine are rirds. Rird is recursively defined.
__________________________________________________ Yahoo! Plus For a better Internet experience http://www.yahoo.co.uk/btoffer
-- To unsubscribe, e-mail: suse-linux-uk-schools-unsubscribe@suse.com For additional commands, e-mail: suse-linux-uk-schools-help@suse.com
Sam Deakin and Andrew Nix St Paul's Catholic High School Firbank Road Newall Green Wythenshawe Manchester M23 2YS tel: 0161 4375841, ext. 168 fax: 0161 4982030 tech4766@mecgrid.org.uk
Surely for the price of an 8bit A-D and a few other simple components it would be much easier to use the parallel port to sample the data. Rob At 10:49 15/05/2003 +0000, you wrote:
while at school i was quite good at soldering so i want i would be happy to put a prottype circiut together for you? if you could send me a circuit/pcb design? I cant help you with the software writng tho, sorry.
Not aware of any school friendly robotics or data logging stuff for Linux.
I've been playing around with a design for a low cost one channel datalogging system, which would be ideal for a simple C project.
Outline concept is this...
Sound card is used to generate an AC signal which is conditioned to 0.7 volts (using a diode and resistor) which is then split across a potential divider - one side of which is fixed resistor other side is thermistor / LDR.
Stereo mike input is then used to compare the voltage across the whole PD with the voltage across the thermistor / LDR.
Data logging process is simple - write to a file of fixed maximum size with initial sampling rate. If the file fills the sample rate recursively halves. This program could be as simple or as complex as you want.
Total component cost less than £2 for a basic hard wired system. Maybe take it up to £5 with boxes and variable resistors for a device that will use different sensors.
Anyone fancy doing it with me? I can draw the circuit idea out in a few mins. Some expert can write the code and I'm not good with a solering iron, but could do it...
===== rgds, Richard Rothwell -------------------------------------------------------------------- GNU and Wine are rirds. Rird is recursively defined.
__________________________________________________ Yahoo! Plus For a better Internet experience http://www.yahoo.co.uk/btoffer
-- To unsubscribe, e-mail: suse-linux-uk-schools-unsubscribe@suse.com For additional commands, e-mail: suse-linux-uk-schools-help@suse.com
Sam Deakin and Andrew Nix St Paul's Catholic High School Firbank Road Newall Green Wythenshawe Manchester M23 2YS
tel: 0161 4375841, ext. 168 fax: 0161 4982030 tech4766@mecgrid.org.uk
-- To unsubscribe, e-mail: suse-linux-uk-schools-unsubscribe@suse.com For additional commands, e-mail: suse-linux-uk-schools-help@suse.com
--- s-clarob@st-aidans.cumbria.sch.uk wrote:
Surely for the price of an 8bit A-D and a few other simple components it would be much easier to use the parallel port to sample the data.
Rob
The concept is that a class can produce the sensors in their DT lessons and then do the sensing with kit they have manufactured themselves. Some pupils could look at the code of the logger, etc. I am also looking at a more accurate system using the games controller and a chip - rather like this... http://www.cesko.host.sk/GamePortTemp_eng.htm ===== rgds, Richard Rothwell -------------------------------------------------------------------- GNU and Wine are rirds. Rird is recursively defined. __________________________________________________ Yahoo! Plus For a better Internet experience http://www.yahoo.co.uk/btoffer
Brilliant idea Richard! Why not set up a sourceforge (or similar) project to do it. I'm well connected with D&T advisers in the UK so I will drum up some publicity if you get things going. Cheers -- Phil Driscoll
--- Phil Driscoll <phil@dialsolutions.co.uk> wrote: > Brilliant idea Richard!
Why not set up a sourceforge (or similar) project to do it. I'm well connected with D&T advisers in the UK so I will drum up some publicity if you get things going.
I'd be more than happy to contribute to this project... :) -- Thomas Adam ===== Thomas Adam "The Linux Weekend Mechanic" -- www.linuxgazette.com __________________________________________________ Yahoo! Plus For a better Internet experience http://www.yahoo.co.uk/btoffer
On Thu, 2003-05-15 at 12:05, Phil Driscoll wrote:
Brilliant idea Richard! Why not set up a sourceforge (or similar) project to do it. I'm well connected with D&T advisers in the UK so I will drum up some publicity if you get things going.
Cheers
Seconded, it would be an ideal subject for technology colleges and there are a lot of them and I am in and out of them all the time. We could run a national competition for the best data logging implementation taking account of cost,effectiveness etc and must use free software :-) Specialist schools are under pressure to take part in national competitions and I would far rather see some encouragement of "real technology" instead of woodwork and button pressing masquerading as such (ducks in case there are any "old-fashioned" DT teacher on the list :-) ) -- ian <ian.lynch2@ntlworld.com>
The project has been given a (temporary?) home on the schoolforge.org.uk wiki - visit it at: http://www.schoolforge.org.uk/wiki/wiki.pl?DataLogging let's move the discussion there where it can be developed. Please edit this, add links and get involed. In particular I would like anyone who has written worksheets for any data logging lessons to post them, as that will let us come up with a requirements list. I will try and draw up my ideas an post them as soon as possible. ===== rgds, Richard Rothwell -------------------------------------------------------------------- GNU and Wine are rirds. Rird is recursively defined. __________________________________________________ Yahoo! Plus For a better Internet experience http://www.yahoo.co.uk/btoffer
--- Richard Rothwell <raroth42@yahoo.co.uk> wrote: > The project has been given a (temporary?) home on the
schoolforge.org.uk wiki - visit it at:
http://www.schoolforge.org.uk/wiki/wiki.pl?DataLogging
let's move the discussion there where it can be developed. Please edit this, add links and get involed.
In particular I would like anyone who has written worksheets for any data logging lessons to post them, as that will let us come up with a requirements list.
I'll add my self to this list, although it should be pointed out that I am only 20 and at university, although I'm hoping that doesn't matter.. Incidentally, does this application have to MS specific? I'm making the assumption that this is the case? -- Thomas Adam ===== Thomas Adam "The Linux Weekend Mechanic" -- www.linuxgazette.com __________________________________________________ Yahoo! Plus For a better Internet experience http://www.yahoo.co.uk/btoffer
On Thu, 2003-05-15 at 14:12, Thomas Adam wrote:
--- Richard Rothwell <raroth42@yahoo.co.uk> wrote: > The project has been given a (temporary?) home on the
schoolforge.org.uk wiki - visit it at:
http://www.schoolforge.org.uk/wiki/wiki.pl?DataLogging
let's move the discussion there where it can be developed. Please edit this, add links and get involed.
In particular I would like anyone who has written worksheets for any data logging lessons to post them, as that will let us come up with a requirements list.
I'll add my self to this list, although it should be pointed out that I am only 20 and at university, although I'm hoping that doesn't matter..
Why should it. Its outcomes that matter not how old you are. The youngest contributor to the Linux kernel is reputed to be 9!
Incidentally, does this application have to MS specific? I'm making the assumption that this is the case?
I hope not. We really need Linux support for data logging and control technology. Its a niche that would be relatively easy to get into and there is no great benefit in meg machines running XP. It also makes the Linux proposition better because we can cover a bigger range of the curriculum. Maybe design links to transfer data straight into OpenOffice.org Calc would help the application be cross platform. Maybe a web based front end for the user.
-- Thomas Adam
===== Thomas Adam
"The Linux Weekend Mechanic" -- www.linuxgazette.com
__________________________________________________ Yahoo! Plus For a better Internet experience http://www.yahoo.co.uk/btoffer -- ian <ian.lynch2@ntlworld.com>
Incidentally, does this application have to MS specific? I'm making the assumption that this is the case?
I hope not. We really need Linux support for data logging and control
Absolutely! I was hoping for a very wide family of software solutions... but if the code is written carefully they can share components. I would really like to see the simplest software tool being one that most pupils could have a chance of undestanding some of the source code. This might be a simple program that read the values from the inputs and just echoed them on the console. At the other end of the spectrum I envision an all-singing-all-dancing solution with intial sample rate and maximum file size which recursively halves the sample rate and stores its file in some XML specified format while plotting the output on the screen. As for different hardware / software platforms I'm no expert but I guess that there would need to be different modules written for the low level sound-card / parallel port / games port interface for different platforms but the front end would just need re-compiling. Have a look and add some ideas on: http://www.schoolforge.org.uk/wiki/wiki.pl?DataLogging I'll try to summarise this discussion on there... ===== rgds, Richard Rothwell -------------------------------------------------------------------- GNU and Wine are rirds. Rird is recursively defined. __________________________________________________ Yahoo! Plus For a better Internet experience http://www.yahoo.co.uk/btoffer
Super! Keep us all updated. -Kyle. == Kyle Williamson Solent Educational Solent House, Roman Road, Dibden Purlieu, Southampton, Hampshire, SO45 4RQ Tel: (023) 80 843189 Fax: (023) 80 848715 "You know the world is going crazy when the best rapper is a white guy, the best golfer is a black guy, the Swiss hold the America's Cup, France is accusing the US of arrogance, and Germany doesn't want to go to war." -----Original Message----- From: Richard Rothwell [mailto:raroth42@yahoo.co.uk] Sent: 15 May 2003 11:57 To: Suse-linux-uk-schools@suse.com Subject: Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Datalogging --- s-clarob@st-aidans.cumbria.sch.uk wrote:
Surely for the price of an 8bit A-D and a few other simple components it would be much easier to use the parallel port to sample the data.
Rob
The concept is that a class can produce the sensors in their DT lessons and then do the sensing with kit they have manufactured themselves. Some pupils could look at the code of the logger, etc. I am also looking at a more accurate system using the games controller and a chip - rather like this... http://www.cesko.host.sk/GamePortTemp_eng.htm ===== rgds, Richard Rothwell -------------------------------------------------------------------- GNU and Wine are rirds. Rird is recursively defined. __________________________________________________ Yahoo! Plus For a better Internet experience http://www.yahoo.co.uk/btoffer -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: suse-linux-uk-schools-unsubscribe@suse.com For additional commands, e-mail: suse-linux-uk-schools-help@suse.com
participants (8)
-
Chris Puttick -
ian -
Kyle Williamson -
Phil Driscoll -
Richard Rothwell -
s-clarob＠st-aidans.cumbria.sch.uk -
techies stpauls -
Thomas Adam