Re: [school-discuss] Open-source alternatives

[Thomas Templin <lists@gnuwhv.de>]

On Friday 08 October 2004 22:09, Michael Dean wrote:
> our school is just now formulating plans for a move to total open
> source, beginning with our servers.  I am trying to steer them away from
> Java (not open) and zope/plone.  the latter because it involves
> installing another server aside Apache2 and involves using python, a
> lesser known language with fewer persons out there knowing it.  We are
> also trying to solve our user applications with software that uses
> postgresql not mysql(no longer free and broken) and in general follows
> the LAPP model -- Linux 2.6.8, with XFS (at least until Reiser4 doesn't
> break apps), Apache 2, Postgressql and PHP.  We are also looking at
> moodle and ilias for some long distance learning modules,
BTW. There is an OpenOffice.org export macro for ILIAS E-Learning content:
http://www.boldt-software.de/download/iLEX-10-de.zip 
It allows you to export ILIAS content from an ordinary office application.

> Opengroupware.org, projekt, and it appears drupal CMS.  Twiki and the
> Wikipedia series.  Since we have 130 Dells it doesn't make sense to use
> LTSP, but we are giving out knoppix/gnoppix CDs.  Our approach is
> minimalist -- go with a distro that you control, not a commercial one
> you don't control, like redhat.  So we may be building a fork of gentoo,
Why invent the wheel twice, as we say in germany
Have a look to debian-edu project and skolelinux.
It will fullfill most of your needs I would think.
Skolelinux is a custoised Debian distribution.
So you are able to use every application you will find in the debian 
repositories.

> with only the stuff on the disks that are directly relevant to the
> students.
>
> garry saddington wrote:
> >On Friday 08 October 2004 15:07, troy@banther-trx.homeunix.com wrote:
> >>Hello everyone,
> >>
> >>Is anyone on the list using completely open-source alternatives in their
> >>schools? Specifically GNU/Linux and educational programs. I would love to
> >>hear of the combinations, types of software, server setups.
> >>
> >>Thanks,
> >>Troy
> >
> >Yes.
> >LTSP
> >OpenOffice
> >Sodipodi
> >Gimp
> >Firefox
> >Zope
> >Plone
> >And many more. More detail available if needed.
All of this is part of skolelinux and Debian GNU/Linux

Bye,
Thomas