Netbook +Ubuntu +Windows

[rocknrollstar]

Hi, due to budget restrictions, I am looking to get 30 Samsung NB30s. I have 4 main questions:

a) Can I put ubuntu or edubuntu on it, and if so, will it have the wireless drivers?

b) Will I be able to place shortcuts to a windows share (for pupil folders)?

c) Will I be able to add our Ricoh printers to Ubuntu?

d) Is there anyway to restrict what the children can and can not do in Ubuntu?

Thanks for your help

[shayes]

I've setup a load of netbooks with ubuntu netbook remix and it works pretty well, much better than the version of Linux they shipped with. You shouldn't need any drivers as Ubuntu is fairly savvy at detecting all your hardware and sorting out the drivers for itself.

I don't know about the windows share shortcuts or the printers, as it wasn't required on ours (they only need to browse the internet), but it was fairly easy to restrict what the students could and couldn't see. I'm sure there will be a way to connect shares and printers though if you stick it in to google.

[rocknrollstar]

Cool, thank you. Definitely would need the windows shares and printers, otherwise I'm stuck

[Jamo]

One option is to use your VLE for file sharing instead of the network, this is what I would think would be the best option for laptops like these.

[shayes]

It is definately possible to add shared windows printers on ubuntu. It might be easiest to just add them individually on each netbook.