featured_spectre Posted February 18, 2009 Posted February 18, 2009 Having browsed all posts recently, it has come up that we SHOULD create a flavour of linux. I would love to be a part of this. I think it would be a brilliant thing which we could all add too. If it went ahead, I would (just in my opinion) prefer it to be an OpenSUSE variant running KDE 4.2. Would anyone have any objections to us starting a project? Possibly call it edugeekix (as stated by cybernerd in previous post)
featured_spectre Posted February 18, 2009 Author Posted February 18, 2009 Well I dont mind what its called. Provided it is KDE and allows a KIOSK useage, along with iTalc I am only advocating this as it allows us to lock down what the PCs can do and gives us the chance to view all screens at once. Edubuntu fails in that dept. as it does not allow us to use iTalc.
russdev Posted February 18, 2009 Posted February 18, 2009 My own view that with Karoshi there just no need for it as was pointed out in recent thread this need to folk linux can mean that we just have to many versions. I think effort is best served with helping Jo & Paul at Karoshi Karoshi Linux - Home As i said my view and not edugeeks view etc Russ
mac_shinobi Posted February 18, 2009 Posted February 18, 2009 add a bunch of other utils in the distro like wireshark etc so that you can also use it for diagnostics etc for networking, hardware etc and make it easier to recover data with data recovery tools and maybe some easy read me on things to help or aid with data recovery ?
featured_spectre Posted February 18, 2009 Author Posted February 18, 2009 ahh karoshi is a brilliant server side distro, I will not deny that. It is a lovely piece of software, but IF there was an edugeek distro, we could all mod it and update it regularly. BTW, I have sent Jo and Paul an email regarding software to possibly add to Karoshi
mac_shinobi Posted February 18, 2009 Posted February 18, 2009 ahh karoshi is a brilliant server side distro, I will not deny that. It is a lovely piece of software, but IF there was an edugeek distro, we could all mod it and update it regularly. BTW, I have sent Jo and Paul an email regarding software to possibly add to Karoshi what software is that may I ask - any chance they could do a desktop version instead of a server version so its more of a diagnostic distro ?
featured_spectre Posted February 18, 2009 Author Posted February 18, 2009 I asked that they add iTalc on there so that you can be at home and view the desktops in use over the network. That way even if there is a problem, you can jump in from home / wherever and fix it (provided it is a desktop problem)
mac_shinobi Posted February 18, 2009 Posted February 18, 2009 ive found iTalc a pain to configure and get working correctly - vnc , logmein.com Wish microsoft would do an SRDP ( as in secure RDP over ssh or something along those lines )
featured_spectre Posted February 18, 2009 Author Posted February 18, 2009 see I found iTalc easy to configure, but then I had been using synchroneyes before which is effectively identical!
powdarrmonkey Posted February 18, 2009 Posted February 18, 2009 Hmm, well, my reactions are mixed. As we discussed last time this came up (and the time before that) a full-blown distribution requires a massive investment of time - actually, they generally become life-consuming for at least the first few years. Now, I don't mind investing what little time I have left, but I do mind re-inventing the wheel (like many distros have already done). I realise this one would have a particular purpose, but I also think an existing distribution will take lots of unnecessary work out of the way first. Secondly, we have to come to some kind of consensus about everything, and you know the reputation of Linux hackers (look at what happened last time we tried to agree on a text editor...) for being able to do this. This is such a broad aim and there are so many things to decide. Example: you'd like to base it on OpenSUSE and KDE; I'd much prefer Debian and Gnome (for many reasons, which I'll go into if you ask, but principally because that's what I know); I suspect kmount will prefer Gentoo; ad nauseum. However, I agree with you that there is a very real need for some school specialisms, from installation, maintenance, and deployment right down to training and interface work. I would much rather see you invest your time in some cross-distribution tools that will facilitate that can go on top of a choice of distributions - after all, choice is the driver of distros in the first place. Like Karoshi, I suppose, only broader. Example: if I didn't know how to work the shell, I'd have no end of trouble setting up Samba to produce users' home shares, but a graphical tool that can guide me through it and generate a config file would be really useful. Same goes for a mail server, web server, shared /home mountings, etc. (Actually, Debian already has dpkg-reconfigure, which does more or less the same thing, but some packages assume prior knowledge of what you're setting up, which is still too challenging if you're brand new to it. Leveraging it would be a good move though, as it's very powerful under the hood.) I'm strongly of the opinion that this would be a much better use of time. Edit: I wrote this as the first reply, but took so long waffling that now it isn't any more. 3
somabc Posted February 18, 2009 Posted February 18, 2009 add a bunch of other utils in the distro like wireshark etc so that you can also use it for diagnostics etc for networking, hardware etc and make it easier to recover data with data recovery tools and maybe some easy read me on things to help or aid with data recovery ? I think it is too complicated to have a distro that is aimed at education in schools (ie for students & teachers) and has network admin tools. The requirements for each are totally different. If you would like to do penetration testing etc I recommend Remote-Exploit.org - Supplying offensive security products to the world
dalsoth Posted February 18, 2009 Posted February 18, 2009 As with anything, when you have a large group of people involved there will be differing opinions. Perhaps you should put a poll up for those interested in working on a project like this. I personally would suggest taking a version of Linux and customizing it rather than trying to do everything from scratch. I would think that there would be a need for Linux experts as well as those who are good at documentation and other things. Maybe let the poll thread show the ways that users could contribute and then let people post with their skills and offers. There may even be a need to assign someone the overall control of the project in order to stop squabbles. A poll to decide on the Linux image to use? It's ok to say Karoshi is already doing this or that but perhaps many members know nothing about Karoshi. A big Edugeek project with many members involved may ultimately go further? Maybe they are actually aiming at different things? Love to see where this goes Just hope it doesn't go down the pan!
powdarrmonkey Posted February 18, 2009 Posted February 18, 2009 It's ok to say Karoshi is already doing this or that but perhaps many members know nothing about Karoshi. A big Edugeek project with many members involved may ultimately go further? Maybe they are actually aiming at different things? At the risk of repeating myself, let's not re-invent the wheel here either. Why not contribute to Karoshi, instead of replacing it?
torry_loon Posted February 18, 2009 Posted February 18, 2009 Instead of creating a brand new distro, what about an add-on pack for existing distros that installs various packages, sets up config files and adds additional themes.
dalsoth Posted February 18, 2009 Posted February 18, 2009 If Karoshi does exactly what the members here are asking for then great. If it does not then why contribute unless you are interested in that? Someone earlier mentioned it was a server and not a client. I found out very little from the Karoshi site when i went there a week or so ago. Very little documentation and just an iso which basically says here you go!!! What happens after i install it? Is Karoshi an Edugeek project? I could not see it on the forums and don't recall seeing it on the projects page. If it is not Edugeek related why not just sign up to Edubuntu or something else instead? Why are the Karoshi developers not here asking for more help? Forgive me if they are but i have not seen them. Didn't even know they were related to Edugeek until Grumbledook mentioned someone. Perhaps they have a vision for Karoshi that does not involve what has been suggested here? Don't want others telling them what they want included etc? Perhaps get them on the forum to explain that they want help and what we are discussing is exactly what they are doing would be a start
russdev Posted February 19, 2009 Posted February 19, 2009 Linuxgirlie aka Jo is on here every so often but like people have said doing your own linux dis is hard job. So with that and her full time job means she trouble getting onto forums like this. I do like idea of the add on pack as half way house as my honest feel you would be biting off more than you can chew with a full dist. Russ
kmount Posted February 19, 2009 Posted February 19, 2009 I don't think people (a general consensus) understand the effort and skills required in even modifying an existing distribution. Who handles quality ensuring we're not committing poor code/ideas, who has the overall steer of the potential project etc and who has the funding to back such a venture? We could look at outside support from OSULabs, SF or so but it's an awful lot of effort before we even start. I see much more potential for taking stock of what we want an existing something to do and then going with it; there's plenty of scope for addons whether we look at OpenSuse or Debian or any other as powdarmonkey said. I'd say Debian personally as I know people don't like waiting for Gentoo to compile stuff mind you, the idea of a 600 machine distcc set up makes me smile. So, refocus time; what does this "EduLinux (Desktop)" product have to do that something else cannot? It would be wise to make use of existing support chains (ie, don't hack just patch) for escalation beyond our own skills but anything one can install via aptitude/yast2 and configure we could use with our own repository. I don't see a shortage of ideas; but a shortage of the relevant skills and time I fear like many other small projects will be our disadvantage.
Hightower Posted February 19, 2009 Posted February 19, 2009 I've got to agree with the majority of posts here (even though I was one of the people pushing it in the earlier threads). It just doesn't seem feasible. As others have already said, I think it would be a much better idea to create 'EduGeek' add-ons that can sit on top of current distro's.
teejay Posted February 19, 2009 Posted February 19, 2009 I think we would be much better giving our support to one of the education based distros. As already said there is Karoshi, but what about Edubuntu? I'm sure they would really appreciate the help of such a community. 1
Hightower Posted February 19, 2009 Posted February 19, 2009 Edubuntu is lovely. Lovely? Strange descriptor there mate
powdarrmonkey Posted February 19, 2009 Posted February 19, 2009 I've got to agree with the majority of posts here (even though I was one of the people pushing it in the earlier threads). It just doesn't seem feasible. Hey, if more people changed their minds instead of arguing about why they shouldn't, the world would be better What is it that you don't like about EduBuntu?
Hightower Posted February 19, 2009 Posted February 19, 2009 What is it that you don't like about EduBuntu? Nothing - I think *buntu is brilliant. It's the only distro I use. I just thought it was a strange choice of words by kmount, that's all
featured_spectre Posted February 19, 2009 Author Posted February 19, 2009 I am not a fan of Edubuntu, for the fact that it doesnt recognise my network set up. OpenSUSE does. However looking at the posts people have made, an add on pack that covers what we want would be more beneficial and we could all have a say and a vote on what went in. Would be a good idea IMO.
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