Debian JR packages and diskless workstations.
I recently got 5 200MhzPentiumMMX PC's with 64M memory and built-in S3
Trio64 video. The hard drives were between 3G and 8G. With some great info
from the Linux Terminal Server Project I am setting up this configuration:
1 PC with 128M memory and 8G hard drive loaded with Progeny Linux and KDE
upgraded to 2.1 from Ivan's site to server as the 'Server'.
4 PC's with 8M memory and hard drives removed, booting from bootprom floppy
images and mounting / from the server running as X-Terminals.
Starting with your site and following other educational links I know or can
find, I will set this up with a full Educational package and work on
re-configuring the KDE menu for the Student users for simplification as I'm
aiming for the Primary school level. I hope to have this ready to
demonstrate at the start of the year. I realise that the PentiumMMX is far
too small spec for this purpose, but it's only for the demo. If the school
agrees, I can copy the config to one of their existing PIII systems and
increase the memory.
The person I got the PC's from had another 15 or so available. This would
give upto 20 terminals for £1000, plus monitors, keyboards, mice etcetera.
The monitors should be the only expensive part, and not if I can get some
donations through my Local ILUG. Other things I want/need to work on
include:
Configuring local Floppy and CD access to the workstations. There is some
info at www.ltsp.org, but it seems to tie the particular workstation
devices to separate home directories, which would mean that the floppy or
CD you access would depend on your login, not the workstation logged in
from.
Setting up sound to work properly over the network.
Setting up a simple and convenient back-up routine that the teacher can
follow. At the moment the Teachers are highly computophobic. The computers
currently sits in the back of the class room and the students take turns
using it. Any problems are left to the students to solve or escalated to
me. This is great experience for the students, but is leaving the teachers
out of the teaching loop. This system will put the server on the teachers
desk and terminals for most of the students.
Setting up a way for the teacher to show something to the class by
displaying it on ALL the screens or be able to get a window showing the
teacher what is on the students desktop, allowing the teacher to
demonstrate without having to go around to each terminal. I've seen a few
links about programs like this.
I will also be setting up a SmoothWall Internet gateway for this system and
their Windows machines to share.
I was considering trying you JR packages directly, but this needs to be a
production stable environment for the school. I'll run what I can fetch
from the Progeny archives, which are a strange mix of Stable and Testing.
With the testing freeze (reportedly) just around the corner, I will be
updating the Progeny system from testing once that happens, unless Progeny
updates as well. This should give me even better access to educational
packages.
With S3 video, I won't even attempt any of the OpenGL games. But I will let
you know what does work and what the school and students like.
Thanks for all your work and help in getting this project started. Each
time I get a little further along, I realise that it's the Debian and Linux
community I have to thank.
Cheers,
John Gay
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