Re: Holiday Project for my job
On Sat, Sep 03, 2011 at 10:35:12AM -0500, ZephyrQ wrote:
> I am trying to set up several Linux desktops for a secure (locked)
> facility for troubled teenagers. I brought one home to set up (so I can
> have unfettered internet access) but then I need to be able to 'clone'
> it to others without internet access (so package retrieval is impossible
> unless I bring home every single desktop; and we are talking about up to
> 50). So I need advice on the following:
>
> 1. Which distro to use? I've used Mint before in a similar setting
> (and was pleased) but I'm now stuck with 6 year old Dells with almost no
> video acceleration and .5 G memory each. I'm thinking XFCE with Mint or
> Xbuntu, but am open to others (even a stock debian install which I use
> on my home machine) but I will not be able to update unless I do so
> manually (which a CD or thumbdrive).
>
> 2. How do I 'clone' the machine to a CD or, preferably, a thumb drive
> so I can install the same configuration to all machines (limiting menu
> options, put in educational games, add openoffice or libreoffice, etc.)?
>
If the computers are networked (internet is not necessary), then you can
make a single image to serve all the computers using one of the
following methods.
1) Debian Live netboot
2) LTSP kiosk mode
Both of these will allow you to keep a pristine image that only you
update (and you only have to update it on a single machine). When a
client boots, it gets its OS over the network. It always gets a
pristine copy of the image on each boot.
Let me know if you need more details.
-Rob
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