Re: [school-discuss] introduction to the solar system

[bruno <bruno.coudoin@free.fr>]

Le ven 03/01/2003 à 19:47, Doug Loss a écrit :
> On 2003-01-03 19:50:46 +0100 Bruno Coudoin <bruno.coudoin@free.fr> 
> wrote:
> 
> > Great, I did not knew this project.
> > 
> I didn't think _anyone_ could miss my repeated postings on the 
> seul-edu mailing list pleading for help with it :-).
> 
> > I did not find on the website on what is based to CD.
> > Do you start from scratch ?
> > 
> The CD (or CDs) won't be complete Linux distros, but an easily 
> installable compilation of Linux software that is proven useful in 
> schools.  

What do you mean by easily installable.
Unfortunatly, on due to the diversity of GNU/Linux, it is practicaly
impossible to create binary packages that can be installed on any
GNU/Linux distro out there.

Creating a CD full of rpm .deb of .tgz files is good but don't expect it
to make inroads in schools. Just too hard to install.

Going through this path, we decided at ofset to create a bootable CD
based on the excellent knoppix work. Knoppix itself is based on debian
so it is really easy to add/update packages to it, just apt-get on the
iso...

This way, any user can use our free software educational stuff without
even installing GNU/Linux !!

Now the CD is ready, we are working on a little paper book that will go
with the CD.
Most important, we are still looking for having founds to burn large
numbers of it. 

> That's the reason we want to have teachers and educators 
> review the applications, to make sure we include software that 
> they'd actually find useful.  Right now I'm going through the 
> SEUL/edu Application Index and noting the programs that mention that 
> they're already being used in schools, or that were written for 
> specific schools.  I'm adding those to the list of programs that 
> have met the Phase 2 requirements.  Other programs are undoubtedly 
> useful, but since I'm not a teacher I don't feel qualified to say 
> which ones are or aren't, so I'm asking people to help us weed out 
> the programs that (while educational) clearly wouldn't be very 
> useful in schools.  Those left will have met the Phase 1 
> requirements.  We'll then have to get people willing to install them 
> and test them for actual utility (Phase 1 is mostly a "weeding out" 
> of obviously non-scholastic programs).  The ones that pass will be 
> added to the Phase 2 list.
> 
OK, that's the huge unpleasant but mandatory phase, determine what is
used/usefull.

> > Also, I can't find gcompris in your listing on phase1 and 2. Is it 
> > too
> > late for it ;)
> > 
> Well, I'm having trouble convincing people to put the (minimal!) 
> time in to do the Phase 1 reviews in all the categories.  So far, 
> the Phase 2 list consists of the programs mentioned in the SEUL/edu 
> case studies <casestudy.seul.org> and those that specifically 
> mention scholastic deployments on their websites.  I'm very happy to 
> add programs that are already used in schools whenever anyone tells 
> me about them.  Just say that gcompris is being used in a school 
> (any school, we're not particular) and I'll be glad to add it :-).  

Oups, check again this one
http://casestudy.seul.org/cgi-bin/caseview1.pl?recnum=30

Nicolas is using gcompris in his school and he does mention that I
created reading activities for him.

I am sorry not to fill up the case study but I am not deploying it
myself and the one I know do not speak english so won't fill up the
form.

Based on the information I have, there is at least 300 schools in france
using the abuledu french Linux distribution for schools. Of course
gcompris is part of abuledu ;)

Abuledu is based on Mandrake and LTSP.
All the development and web pages are in french:
http://www.abuledu.org/modules/vitrine/sinformer/index.php 

> That's a joke, of course.  I've already added it.  It will show up 
> on the website in a little while.

Great, thanks for the kids ;)

Bruno.